Employees who refuse to be vaccinated can be fired: lawyer
The federal government has said its workers must be vaccinated by October 29 or risk being terminated. Now private companies are also looking at bringing in their own vaccination polices.
Labour lawyer Howard Levitt, Senior Partner with Levitt LLP Employment & Labour Law expects many employees who refuse to get vaccinated will leave their jobs or be terminated in the months ahead.
“We have a lot of anti-vaxxers who are refusing to get vaccinated so they are going to be resigning or they are going to be fired and for cause," said Levitt.
Levitt said an employee fired for not getting vaccinated will most likely not receive severance pay and he feels if they sue their employer they will lose as the courts will see mandatory vaccinations as something that is being done for the greater good of society.
In the United States, American Airlines told its workers if they refuse to be vaccinated they will be fired.
Levitt says now that the federal government has mandated vaccines for its employees, private companies will follow.
“I suspect there will be monumental numbers of firings this fall. It's happening in the U.S. and it will happen here because employers are moving towards compulsory vaccinations for everybody," said Levitt.
Employees who insist on working from home to avoid being vaccinated could also lose their jobs.
Levitt said, “if an employer calls you back to work now and they refuse to attend, they have abandoned their job and they are entitled to nothing in forms of compensation."
Levitt also feels the exemptions being sought by some employees are only for a select few saying “there is no easy way out for employees that don't want to be vaccinated."
There is an exemption if you belong to a religion that prohibits vaccines, but Levitt believes there are no major religions that hold that as a tenet to their belief system. He feels there may be “fringe” religions that may, but said even then a person would have to show they were a long-time member of the religion and have written proof from a leader in the group specifying why they should not get a vaccine.
Levitt also said the two medical exceptions also affect very few people.
“The first is a severe, dangerous reaction toward the components of the vaccine or inflammation of the heart - that's it," said Levitt.
READ MORE: Ontario confirms there are only two valid medical exemptions from COVID-19 vaccines
The labour lawyer also said the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is now cracking down on doctors who are handing out medical exemptions that may not be warranted and could face disciplinary action.
Fake vaccine passports are also being sold on the internet, but Levitt cautions against anyone lying about their vaccination status.
“If they get false proof or the employee lies that's cause for their discharge with cause and without any severance pay," said Levitt.
Companies may also have differing vaccination polices depending on the kind of work they do.
Anyone who quits their job because they don't want to be vaccinated could also find they're not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.