100 permanent teachers, staff at TDSB placed on unpaid leave after not disclosing COVID-19 vaccination status
Nearly two per cent of all fulltime and occasional staff members at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) have been placed on a leave of absence without pay after refusing to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status.
As of 5 p.m., on Nov. 2, 100 permanent staff and 643 occasional staff did not submit their mandatory vaccine attestation and, as a result, have been placed on a non-disciplinary administrative leave of absence without pay, the TDSB said.
The TDSB noted that the vast majority of occasional staff who did not submit their status did not work in the TDSB during the 2021-22 school year.
The mandatory vaccination policy applies to all school board employees and volunteers, including occasional teachers and casual education workers, school board trustees and student transportation drivers.
Of the permanent staff who refused to submit their vaccination status, 13 are elementary teachers and three are secondary teachers, according to a tweet from TDSB Trustee Shelley Laskin.
Only 77 of the 195 occasional and casual elementary teachers who didn’t complete their attestation worked this school year.
Meanwhile, 28 of the 121 occasional secondary teachers who didn’t submit their status worked this year, and of the 327 support staff who didn’t complete the attestation, only 154 worked this school year.
So far, more than 86 per cent of the TDSB’s active staff members are fully vaccinated against the disease, 1.64 per cent are partially vaccinated and 2.56 per cent are unvaccinated.
The TDSB has a total of 41,485 staff members, including employees who are permanent, occasional and on-leave.
Over two per cent of TDSB employees have requested a religious or medical exemption.
Last week, the TDSB said it was extending its Nov. 2 vaccination deadline by nearly three weeks for some workers due to longer than anticipated time to review a significant number of exemptions.
Staff have until Nov. 19 to get their first dose, and until Dec. 19 to receive their second and be considered fully vaccinated.
Anyone who applied for a medical exemption and is denied will have 45 days from when they were denied to get a vaccine dose, and will have to get tested bi-weekly during that time.
If employees don’t receive a dose by Nov. 21 they will be placed on unpaid leave.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.