TDSB extending COVID-19 vaccine policy deadline for some workers by three weeks
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) says it will extend its Nov. 2 for COVID-19 vaccination deadline by nearly three weeks for some workers, as it grapples with employees who won’t respond to its queries and a high number of claims for medical exemptions.
In a newsletter distributed by Trustee Shelley Laskin, the TDSB says it won’t place all unvaccinated employees on home assignment without pay on Nov. 2 as it promised.
Instead, only employees who have not completed a vaccine attestation form or any bi-weekly rapid antigen tests since early September will be put on unpaid leave on that date.
“While staff who have not submitted their attestation or rapid antigen testing results will be put on home assignment without pay as of November 2nd, the full implementation will take place over the following three weeks,” the newsletter said. “This decision was based on feedback from system leaders, a longer than anticipated time required to review a significant number of requests for exemptions, and in order to ensure continuity in students’ learning and care and important business processes.”
Spokesperson Ryan Bird told CP24 that staff who have told the board they are not vaccinated will now have until Nov. 19 to get their first dose, and until Dec. 19 to receive their second.
Staff who still have not received any dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 21 will be placed on unpaid leave.
Anyone who applies 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 submit to rapid antigen testing bi-weekly during that time.
Yesterday, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said that across the Ontario education sector, there could be as many as 50,000 workers in all capacities who are either unvaccinated or have not disclosed their vaccination status.
The Ministry of Education told CTV News Toronto it estimates there are at least 46,000 education workers who are not fully vaccinated.
In the TDSB, staff says that as of Oct. 22, 85 per cent of the employees for which its vaccine mandate will apply have attested that they are fully vaccinated.
Another 1,705 people, or four per cent of the workforce have not yet filled out a vaccine attestation form, leaving 4,188, or 11 per cent of its employees who are unvaccinated and told the TDSB so in an attestation.
The TDSB says it will continue to contact employees who have not yet filled out an attestation directly.
“It is thought that many of those who have not yet completed the form are casual employees who may not have worked for the school board yet this school year,” staff wrote in a report circulated to trustees.
The TDSB’s vaccine mandate applies to all teachers, trustees, managerial staff, bus drivers, interns and co-op students placed at the board, and all other individuals who provide services to children at schools, volunteers or otherwise.
It originally decreed that everyone have two shots of an approved COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 1.
While the TDSB did not disclose how many of its staff have sought medical or other exemptions from vaccination, it said it approved five exemptions so far.
The ratio of 12.5 approved exemptions per 100,000 approved at the TDSB is higher than the 1-5 in 100,000 ratio public health officialssuggest should be seen in the general population.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.