Unvaccinated Federal Workers Without Exemptions Now Approved On Unpaid Leave | The Canadian News

Central federal public sector employees who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will receive unpaid leave today, unless an accommodation has already been granted.

The policy could leave more than 1,000 workers unpaid and unable to access employment insurance benefits.

As of November 3, the vast majority, about 95 percent, of federal public servants were reported to be fully vaccinated.

Of the 267,222 employees who declared their status, a little more than 3,150 have requested some type of accommodation to be able to work without a complete list of vaccinations.

The government said 1,255 workers reported that they are not vaccinated at all, representing about 0.5 percent of employees who have declared their vaccination status.

There are 7,284 workers with a single injection of the COVID-19 vaccine. They have been given 10 weeks after their first dose to receive their second injection before they are also assigned unpaid leave.

The government said it would accommodate employees who cannot be vaccinated for health, religious or other reasons protected by the Human Rights Act, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned early on in the policy that waivers and accommodations would be difficult to obtain.

The Treasury Board Secretariat has not yet released how many unvaccinated or partially vaccinated employees have received some type of accommodation, such as the opportunity to work from home.

Several federal public sector unions have said they plan to file complaints if they feel an employee’s human rights were not respected.

The largest federal union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, has encouraged members to get vaccinated if possible.

“If you choose not to get vaccinated for personal reasons, the PSAC will examine your case and, if your human rights or workplace rights are violated, the PSAC will support you,” the union’s website reads.

The union believes there is a “great chance” that government policy will withstand any legal challenges that arise.

The policy will be reviewed every six months and is expected to remain in effect for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.