It’s legal for employers to refuse hiring of unvaccinated applicants – Duterte

Some essential workers in Olongapo City wait for their turn to get the vaccine against COVID-19. (File photo courtesy of Olongapo City Information Center)

MANILA, Philippines —  It’s legal for employees to refuse to hire job applicants who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte in his weekly taped address, “Talk to the People,” that aired late Tuesday night.

“I think that is legal. You [employers] have the right to refuse to accept as an employee somebody who is not vaccinated,” he said. 

“In this case, you are protecting your business. Second, you’re protecting your employees,” he added. 

However, employers cannot fire workers who refuse to get inoculated against the severe respiratory disease.

“You can’t remove anyone who doesn’t want to get vaccinated,” Duterte said.

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