Deadline arrives for City of Toronto staff to disclose COVID-19 vaccination status

The deadline for municipal workers in Toronto to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 arrived Monday.

With the vaccine mandate now in effect, employees failing to disclose their vaccination status could be suspended without pay for six weeks starting this week.

“Starting the week of November 1, staff who do not provide proof of receiving two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be suspended for six weeks without pay,” the City said back in October.

However, during those six weeks, those employees may return to work if they provide proof of being fully vaccinated.

On Dec. 13, after the unpaid suspension, if staff do not provide proof that they are fully vaccinated, their employment will be terminated “for cause” as they will have “chosen not to comply with the city’s mandatory vaccination policy for staff.”

At the time, Mayor John Tory said the majority of city staff are fully vaccinated and the policy is focused on protecting the health and safety of all employees.

Meanwhile in Mississauga, city staff who are not fully vaccinated will have to undergo rapid antigen testing every day, at their own expense.

Monday was also the deadline for Metrolinx employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Ahead of the deadline, the provincial transit agency warned of possible disruptions on some bus routes.

Metrolinx said as of Oct. 29, just over 95 per cent of its employees who has supplied their vaccination status are fully vaccinated.

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With files from Dilshad Burman and John Marchesan of CityNews