Up to 40 unvaccinated staff at North Bay hospital could lose their jobs

Sudbury -

A total of 40 staff at the North Bay Regional Health Centre are unvaccinated, the hospital says, and could face dismissal.

In an email, hospital spokesperson Lindsay Smylie Smith said no one has yet been disciplined, but time is running out.

"We are committed to achieving 100 per cent compliance with our vaccine policy," Smylie Smith said.

"We are aware of approximately 40 employees who are currently non-compliant and could progress to dismissal as early as this week."

The hospital’s vaccine policy complies with directives from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, she said, and will be "enforced.

"If employees do not comply with the policy, progressive discipline will result, up to and including dismissal."

Under the directive, staff are required to comply with one of three requirements in relation to COVID-19 vaccination:

1. Be vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination to Occupational Health Safety & Wellness.

2. Where all Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines are medically contraindicated, the staff must provide written proof of the medical contraindication from their regular qualified medical practitioner.

3. Where a staff elects not to be vaccinated, or they are unsure of whether they want to be vaccinated, they are required to complete a COVID-19 education program.

"Staff that are in category 2 or 3 will be required to obtain a COVID-19 antigen test every seven days," Smylie Smith said.

In a statement on the CUPE LOCAL 139’s website, president Brett Campbell said the union reserves the right to grieve any action the hospital takes involving staff.

"Generally, it is the union’s position that the policy must be implemented reasonably and in accordance with the collective agreement and all governing laws," Campbell said.

"Employees who cannot be vaccinated for Human Rights Code reasons must be accommodated as the law provides, and that discipline is not an appropriate consequence for the exercise of employee medical choice." 

--Files from Eric Taschner