More than three dozen municipal workers are being placed on unpaid leave for failing to comply with the City of London's COVID-19 vaccination policy.
Nineteen full time and 24 casual employees, which works out to about one per cent of city staff, did not provide proof of vaccination or medical exemption by the November 1 deadline. As such, they are being placed on a 30-day unpaid leave.
City officials have not stated what will happen to those workers if after the month-long break they still don't comply with the policy. Workers who do decide to show proof of vaccination or medical exemption by the end of the 30 days will be allowed to return to the job.
The city has an estimated 2,800 employees, 99 per cent of whom got the shot or submitted an exemption.
"I am pleased with the very high percentage of employees who have complied with this policy," City Manager Lynne Livingstone said in a statement. "Our goal has been to help ensure the health and well-being of our staff and of the community by following all local and Provincial health guidance. The health and well being of our staff and of the community has been our priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; enacting this policy has been part of that."
Livingstone went on to state that the disciplinary action is unlikely to cause service disruptions.
"Because the number of employees who will be placed on leave is a very small percentage of our staff, and because they are from various service areas across the organization, there will be no service impact to the public as a result of any disciplinary actions,” said Livingstone.
The city's vaccination policy does not apply to councillors, as they have a separate policy in place.
