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ARTICLE · 10 SEPTEMBER 2021

Employment Update: Reopening Workplaces And Vaccination Policies

Blaney McMurtry LLP
Blaney McMurtry LLP
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As Ontario continues to reopen and with virtually all employees eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, many employers are moving forward with a gradual return to the workplace.

CanadaEmployment and HR
Maria Kotsopoulos
Maria Kotsopoulos
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As Ontario continues to reopen and with virtually all employees eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, many employers are moving forward with a gradual return to the workplace. As variants of concern continue to impact the roll-out of return-to-work plans, employers should address what steps they can take to ensure they meet their obligations under occupational health and safety legislation. This includes whether they will require their workforce to be vaccinated notwithstanding the absence of any provincial government-mandated vaccination or proof of vaccination requirement.

On August 20, 2021, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health (TMOH) issued a recommendation for local employers to institute a workplace vaccination policy to protect their employees and the public from COVID-19. This advice has since been updated and other public health authorities have followed suit. TMOH strongly recommends that workplace vaccination policies require at minimum:

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