Hamilton city staff get 4-month extension to provide proof of full vaccination

Workers with the City of Hamilton have been given four more months in which to provide proof of full vaccination.

Under the city's mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, city workers had until May 31 to provide proof of full vaccination or an approved medical exemption.

They faced termination of employment with the city if they remained unvaccinated after that date.

But at a meeting on Wednesday, councillors voted 11 to 3 in favour of a motion by Coun. Esther Pauls for the date to be extended to Sept. 30.

Making a case for the extension, Pauls said most cities had rescinded the policy, and noted that Burlington said it couldn't afford the cost to taxpayers as a result of litigation.

"So, you know what they did, they said, 'OK, just get testing,'" Pauls said.

"We chose the most punitive [option] for our employees instead of considering maybe we should do what Burlington did if we really believe that the unvaccinated are the ones that are causing the problem."

In addition to Pauls, the following councillors voted in favour of the extension:

• Nrinder Nann
• Brenda Johnson
• Judi Partridge
• Sam Merulla
• Brad Clark
• Lloyd Ferguson
• Terry Whitehead
• Tom Jackson
• Maria Pearson
• Arlene VanderBeek

Councillors Maureen Wilson, John-Paul Danko and Russ Powers voted against the motion.

Lora Fontana, head of human resources, saidnearly 94 per cent of the city's workforce, or 7,149 people, are considered fully vaccinated.

In April,councillors voted to keep the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers in place, despite a staff report sayingHamiltonshould do away with the measure to bring itin line with provincial directives.

City councillors voted 6-6 on April 27 on whether to scrap the mandate. The deadlocked votemeantthe motion was defeated. Four councillors were absent from thatmeeting.

The report recommending themandate be scrapped said 64 city employees were on unpaid leave for failing to disclosetheir vaccination status and 441wereregularly taking rapid antigen tests.