Republic Bank Ltd officials neither confirmed nor denied reports of employees walking out of its Tunapuna branch on Friday, but said its policies mandate daily sanitisation of its premises.

Banking, Insurance and General Workers' representative Jason Brown said in a social media broadcast that workers of RBL Tunapuna “invoked their legal right to refuse work in a hazardous environment” after a manager tested positive on Thursday for covid19 and the bank refused to sanitise the building.

General manager of group marketing and communications Karen Tom Yew-Jardine said: “The bank’s approach to sanitisation of its premises is in keeping with best-practice guidelines. In addition to sanitisation all locations are cleaned thoroughly both during the work day and after hours in order to protect staff and customers from transmission.”

The bank added that vaccination is the best defence against serious complications from the virus. It encouraged people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Tom Yew-Jardine added that the bank outlined a clear return-to-work policy which had the outcome of producing a workforce that is 92 per cent vaccinated.

She said: “Staff are expected to comply with this and all other policies set by the bank. It continues to educate its remaining few unvaccinated staff as to the importance of being vaccinated as the country seeks to open fully.”

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