BC Rise learned the City of Vancouver has suspended their employee vaccine policy.
We reached out to the City of Vancouver with a media inquiry if they were going to lift their staff COVID-19 vaccine mandates with the lifting of provincial vaccine passport mandates.
They wrote “With the progress made through the COVID pandemic and their very high rates of mandatory employee vaccination rates they are suspending their proof of vaccination policy for existing staff, volunteers and contractors. All newly hired staff/volunteers will still need to comply with the policy.
The province has lifted vaccine passport mandates for almost everything so the city is making this change now as they continue to adapt to and navigate the pandemic.
Employees that were placed on unpaid leave of absence because of non-complacence with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate were asked to go back to work March 28.
While the city doesn’t allow its employees or volunteers the rights to body autonomy, freedom of choice is offered to elected officials.
On October 19 2021 – Vancouver City Council issued a statement “December 6, 2021, the members of Vancouver City Council are confirming they are all already fully vaccinated. If elected officials wished to impose a similar policy upon themselves, the City believes that it is better for them to approve and adopt their own policy.”
Yes, the claim is they are all “fully vaccinated” but they still have a choice with no mandate, whereas everyone else was mandated to get the jab or else be financial punished.
While the city has decided to suspend the vaccination policy for now, depending on how the pandemic continues. They may need to financially punish some staff again in the future that do not report they are so-called “fully vaccinated”.
Since asking unvaccinated and presumed unvaccinated staff back to work there’s currently no one on unpaid leave as a result of non-compliance with the policy.
Fortunately no one lost their jobs because of being non-compliant to the COVID-19 vaccine policy. The city claims it has always been their intention to “support our staff in ensuring our collective safety”.
Staff members that didn’t show proof they were “fully vaccinated” face financial destruction with unpaid leave risking their families security to food and shelter.
“We have followed public health guidance for both the public and our staff, and will continue to do so.” the city wrote in a note
About the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the City of Vancouver
When the vaccine mandate is active it applies to all city staff, volunteers and contractors.
Effective January 7, 2022, all City of Vancouver staff and volunteers, inclusive of Park Board staff and volunteers, were required to be so-called “fully vaccinated” with a COVID-19 vaccine series. Testing has never been a option.
Policy file Corporate policy approved 3/28/2022
“This policy applies to (1) all City employees including, but not limited to, employees who work inside City worksites, work outdoors and work remotely, and (2) all City volunteers. vaccination policy” posted in the cities mandate.
In October 2021, the City of Vancouver announced a COVID-19 mandatory vaccination policy requiring all staff to be so-called “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19.
In November 2021, the Park Board approved a motion title Park Board Commissioner COVID-19 Vaccinations confirming that all Commissioners are fully vaccinated against COVID-19
In December 2021, the City of Vancouver approved a COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination –
Contractors Policy requiring all City contractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The reason the City of Vancouver imposed these vaccine mandates on City and Park Board staff, as well as to City contractors was for “limiting the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible”.
The consequences for COVID-19 vaccine non-compliance employees they were punished with unpaid leave of absence effective January 7, 2022 and, upon further review, and threatened they may be subject to further “employment consequences” or “termination.”
