Vaccination program in the workplace

Vaccination has been touted as the key to a speedy return to normal following the last—seemingly interminable—18 months of pandemic life. With on-again-off-again lockdowns across Canada and wave after wave of spiking COVID cases, it’s encouraging to see provinces, territories and municipalities bolster their vaccination programs.

As workers get ready to return to their workplaces, employers will need to consider how vaccination requirements fit into their reopening plans.

Though required vaccination seems like a good idea, there are many things to consider. In a workplace setting like health care, for example, mandatory vaccination for certain communicable diseases can be required. But enforcing a mandatory vaccination policy in other workplaces is generally not recommended. However, it is your responsibility to ensure the health and safety of your workforce and, with COVID-19 still in our midst, a flexible vaccination program would instill confidence and provide guidance to staff, suppliers, contractors and customers alike.

We recently added a legally reviewed Workplace Vaccination Program policy to PolicyPro, the overview of which provides the considerations and legislated requirements employers need to understand before implementing a vaccination policy in the workplace.

Some things to consider:

• Can you implement a mandatory vaccine policy?
• What impacts would such a policy have on human rights and privacy rights in your workplace?
• Can you ask employees if they have been vaccinated?
• Can you host a vaccination clinic at your workplace?
• Can you require proof of vaccination in the form of vaccination cards or passports to attend the workplace?
• What about workers’ compensation claims for adverse reactions to required vaccinations?

You need to take a careful approach to the subject of vaccination. With the Workplace Vaccination Program policy from PolicyPro, you can ensure compliance with the rules and a safe return to work for your employees.

If you don’t currently subscribe to PolicyPro, take a trial to access the new workplace vaccination policy. In addition, you can review the new Emergency Preparedness chapter that includes 13 essential policies for ensuring your organization is prepared for an extraordinary event like a pandemic.

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Nancy Currie

Editor at First Reference Inc.

Nancy Currie is an editor, writer and proofreader at First Reference. She contributes regularly to First Reference Talks, covering topics such as First Reference product features, remote work, employment issues and more.

Latest posts by Nancy Currie (see all)

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