Failure to comply with compulsory vaccination: suspension of the contested contract?

Failure to comply with compulsory vaccination: suspension of contract

Since 16 October, in areas subject to compulsory vaccination, it is necessary to have a complete vaccination schedule in order to continue to work (or not to be subjected to it due to medical contraindication or recovery from contamination).

RappelLa loi a imposé la vaccination :- pour les personnes qui exercent dans les établissements soumis à l’obligation vaccinale (établissements de santé, résidences-services dédiées à l’accueil des personnes âgées ou handicapées, établissements et services médico-sociaux, etc.) ;- mais aussi pour celles dont la profession est soumise à l’obligation (sapeurs-pompiers, ostéopathe, psychothérapeute, etc.).

The employer must monitor compliance with the obligation to vaccinate persons under his responsibility by requesting the necessary documents: proof of vaccination status, recovery certificate or medical certificate of contraindication.

If a worker does not have the necessary documentation, he must inform him without delay of the consequences and the means of regularizing his situation. An employee who is prohibited from working may, with the agreement of the employer, use conventional rest days or paid holiday days, failing which his contract of employment is suspended.?

The duration of the suspension of the employment contract does not amount to an actual period of work and is not remunerated.

Please note that there is no end date for compulsory vaccination as is the case with the health pass.

Suspension of contract for lack of vaccination: doubts of judges

The first challenges of employees whose employment contracts have been suspended for lack of vaccination are beginning to emerge. We are particularly interested in two cases in which two female employees acted as interim measures before the Labour Courts of Troyes and Saint-Brieuc. They called for a ban on the employer from suspending their employment contracts (on the grounds of waiting for the Sanofi vaccine to be placed on the market) and at the same time filed a priority question of constitutionality. Among the arguments cited are the need to enforce international conventions which prohibit depriving the worker of remuneration by various means, including arbitrary suspension of the contract.

RappelLa question prioritaire de constitutionnalité peut être utilisée par un salarié partie afin de soutenir qu’une disposition législative porte atteinte aux droits et libertés que la Constitution garantit. La loi prévoit un double filtre : la QPC est d'abord examinée par le juge du fond, puis par la Cour de cassation ou le Conseil d'Etat.

The two labour courts decided to refer the priority question of constitutionality to the Court of Cassation.

A number of conditions must be met for a PSQ to be admissible, including the following:

In one of these cases the employee was on sick leave; however, the Labour Court of Saint-Brieuc noted that the law does not specify the duration and outcome of the suspension of the employment contract in this case. It therefore decided squarely to suspend the vaccination obligation until the decision of the Court of Cassation or the Constitutional Council.

ImportantPlusieurs affaires se sont aussi présentées du côté des tribunaux administratifs qui ont pour l’instant refusé les demandes des salariés du public et le renvoi au Conseil d’Etat.La Cour de cassation a maintenant 3 mois pour décider si elle renvoie la QPC devant le Conseil constitutionnel qui aurait alors lui-même 3 mois pour se prononcer. On devrait donc y voir plus clair au printemps prochain. A suivre !

Law No. 2021-1040 of 5 August 2021 on the management of the health crisis, OJ of the 6Conseil de Prud'hommes de Saint-Brieuc, formation of interim relief, 12 October 2021, minute No. 226-2021Labour Court of Troyes, summary section, 5 October 2021, minute No 21-00031Decision of the Constitutional Council No. 2021-824 DC of 5 August 2021

Author: Anne-Lise Castell

Lawyer in social law and editor at Editions Tissot

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