According to a memo obtained by Global News, the City of Toronto is abandoning its COVID-19 vaccine requirement and plans to offer unionised unvaccinated employees or those who failed to disclose their vaccination status reinstatement.
The memo, written by interim city manager Tracey Cook and sent to managers, says as of Dec. 1, “the City’s COVID-19 vaccination policy will be updated to reflect that mandatory vaccination is no longer required for City staff, volunteers and contractors.
According to Cook, “The City stated that it would continuously review this policy, guided by science and evidence.
“The science and public health advice no longer supports the need for a mandatory vaccine policy, with more than 90% of the general public and 99% of City staff now having at least two doses of vaccine.”
Cook said the City still encourages everyone to get vaccinated against COVID, including a Fall booster shot.
Based on arbitration and negotiations with the unions, the around 350 unionized employees who either aren’t vaccinated or didn’t disclose their vaccination status “will be offered reinstatement into an unpaid leave,” Cook said.
And starting on December 1, employees who are on unpaid leave will be able to return to their jobs.
Cook stated that the City’s “People and Equity” staff will collaborate with various divisions to review reinstatements on an individual basis in order to ensure that they “are aligned with operational needs.”
The heads of the various divisions will also receive a vacancy analysis from the People and Equity team.
Cook acknowledged that there might be circumstances in which there are no openings and other options must be considered.
The reintegration of staff into the workplace “may not necessarily occur on that exact date,” even though unvaccinated staff will be permitted to return on December 1.
City of Toronto lifts COVID vaccination requirement; staff will be offered rehire, per memo
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