By Cheryl Jahn

Government workers will need to be fully vaccinated

Nov 1, 2021 | 2:52 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – As the largest single employer in the Province’s public sector, the Government of B.C. is safeguarding its workers, requiring that all direct government employees have the best defence against COVID-19 and variants by being fully vaccinated by Nov. 22, 2021.

Building on existing health and safety measures in provincial government workplaces, the proof of vaccination requirement will provide reassurance to public-service employees and the people they serve. The policy applies to any employee working for the BC Public Service, regardless of whether the employee works on-site or remotely.

This also includes employees of any board, commission, agency, or organization to which the Public Service Act applies or whose employees are hired in accordance with the Public Service Act, unless their organization will have a comparable policy in place by Nov. 22. While strong compliance is expected, BC Public Service employees who do not have at least one dose of the vaccine by Nov. 22, where there is not an approved exemption based on a medical condition or other legitimate grounds, will be placed on unpaid leave for three months.

Partially vaccinated employees – those who have received only one dose – may be offered alternative work arrangements and will be required to provide proof of full vaccination within 35 days of having received their first dose. Partially vaccinated employees who are not fully vaccinated within that timeline will be placed on unpaid leave. Employees who are still unvaccinated after the three-month unpaid leave may be terminated.