Sarnia introduces mandatory vaccine policy for city hall staff
City hall has introduced a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for all of Sarnia’s municipal employees and contractors that could place holdouts on unpaid leave, a top city official says.
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City hall has introduced a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy for all of Sarnia’s municipal employees and contractors that could place holdouts on unpaid leave, a top city official says.
David Logan, the city’s general manager of corporate services, said staff who decline to get both doses or don’t want to disclose their vaccination status will have to complete a vaccine education program and be tested regularly.
But that still doesn’t guarantee they will be able to stay on the job.
“While the city will make efforts to provide appropriate accommodation, if such a plan cannot be provided, the employee may be placed on an unpaid leave,” Logan said via email.
The policy, announced Friday and available online at bit.ly/38TZv4y, also applies to all consultants, volunteers and students working at city hall, but it doesn’t affect city council and the people they appoint or the general public accessing services at the Christina Street North facility.
“The policy is one that I support as fair and reasonable and very similar to many other municipalities in Ontario,” Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said via email. “Council on Monday will have to decide on adopting this policy for council or something similar.”
Bluewater Health released and later tightened a similar policy for its employees last month and Lambton College also introduced an on-campus mandatory vaccine policy prior to staff and students returning this week.
Chris Carter, the city’s chief executive, said in a statement Sarnia is following the lead of those two community partners, along with other municipalities throughout the province.
“The City of Sarnia is doing everything we can to protect our community, especially as more of the economy reopens,” he said. “Health and safety continues to be our number one priority. Our goal is to increase the safety of our workplace for staff, as well as for the public accessing our services.”
The city has about 430 employees and hires approximately 100 students each year, Logan said.
London tightened its plan Friday for municipal employees and contractors.
Dr. Christopher Greensmith, Lambton’s interim acting medical officer of health, recently urged all local employees to introduce these types of policies amid the Delta variant’s spread and an anticipated fourth wave this fall. In an email Friday to The Observer, Greensmith commended Sarnia for following through.
“We need to work together as a community to combat COVID-19. To do that, we need everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible while continuing to follow public-health measures,” he said. “Proof of vaccination reduces the risk, protects hospital capacity and supports businesses in keeping customers safe and their doors open.”
With the policy not applying to the public, the city asked residents to “use vigilance” when visiting city hall and using services. Customer service on the lower floor is expected to start offering in-person opportunities again on Oct. 12, but visits to the second and third floors will be by appointment only.
As of this week, almost 79 per cent of the local 12-plus population had a single dose and more than 74 per cent were considered fully vaccinated, Greensmith said. About 175,900 total doses have been injected in local arms by the health unit, hospitals, pharmacies and doctors’ offices.
Three new COVID-19 cases were reported Friday by the local health unit. Of the 3,710 cases since the pandemic began, 3,622 were considered resolved while 19 were still active, Lambton public health said. The local death toll was still 69 and there were no active outbreaks.
Bluewater Health reported it didn’t have any COVID-positive patients in hospital.
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