Unvaccinated City of Hamilton employees face new deadline – Hamilton | The Canadian News

Time is ticking for about seven percent of the municipal workforce: 552 Hamilton City employees.

City councilors approved changes to the city’s COVID-19 vaccination policy, giving employees until the end of May to get fully vaccinated or lose their jobs effective June 1.

There are 474 employees who have undergone rapid tests twice a week since the beginning of November 2021 who are affected, along with 68 workers who refused to be tested or did not disclose their vaccination status.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said those staff members have “a long way to go” to comply.

“There are plenty of opportunities for them to get the vaccine that everyone else has benefited from,” Eisenberger stressed.

Human resources director Lora Fontana said a stricter policy is needed to ensure a safe workplace as it has become more difficult to access an “adequate and reliable supply” of rapid test kits.

Fontana added that there are also concerns with “how effective this testing is, and whether twice a week is still appropriate, and whether it will give us the information we need to ensure a healthy and safe work environment.”

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