Federal Government suspends Mandatory Vaccine Policy

As of June 20, 2022, the federal government suspended its Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for Core Public Administration employees (the “Policy”).

The Policy initially came into force on October 6, 2021. The Government of Canada release states that vaccines continue to provide strong protection against serious illness, and provide a level of protection against infection and transmission of COVID-19, and those other measures such as staying home when sick, improving ventilation, wearing a mask and proper hand hygiene are effective barriers against the spread of COVID-19 and remain in place, but the Policy is suspended.

As of June 20, 2022, the government states that those federal public servants who were subject to leave without pay (LWOP) (less than 2% of the workforce) as a result of declining to disclose their vaccination status or refusing to get vaccinated, may resume their duties with pay, per the statement. Accommodation measures and requests that were put in place in response to the Policy will also be suspended.