Penticton joins Kelowna in implementing COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city staff

The City of Penticton is joining its larger counterpart to the north, the City of Kelowna, in implementing a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for city staff.

The policy is set to take effect on Jan. 4, 2022, in order to give employees enough time to get fully vaccinated, the city said in a statement issued on Monday, Oct. 25.

The city stated that following the deadline, all city employees and members of city council will be required to confirm they are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“Throughout the pandemic, employee and public safety has remained our top priority,” said Jim Bauer, general manager of finance and administration.

“The City of Penticton continues to follow public health orders and has implemented various initiatives to fight the pandemic, including mandatory masks, pandemic screening forms, social distancing, handwashing/sanitizing, virtual meetings and supported working from home.”

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“Implementing a vaccination policy at this time is one additional measure to ensure City workplaces, staff, and the public are as safe as possible while also aligning our organization with recommendations from our provincial health officer for large employers to implement vaccine mandates.”

Employees who are entitled to exemptions will be accommodated, the city said, but staff who don’t have a good reason for why they can’t get vaccinated “will not be permitted to report to a city facility or worksite,” the statement said.

Bauer confirmed that unvaccinated staff who have not requested an exemption will be placed on unpaid leave after the deadline. The policy applies to the mayor and council as well.

On Friday, the City of Kelowna announced that all city staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 13.

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Penticton and Kelowna join a growing list of municipalities, including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Kamloops, to implement a proof of vaccination policy as a condition of employment.

“Before announcing the policy today, we took some time to talk with staff about the rationale and importance of implementing a COVID-19 vaccination policy,” city manager Doug Gilchrist said Friday.

“It’s an administrative decision to require staff to be vaccinated,” Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran said. “But it’s something council and I support as another way we can limit the transmission of the virus among staff and the public.”

Kelowna’s policy covers 950 full-time and 173 part-time or casual employees. Its administrative policy does not apply to elected officials, the city said.

Meanwhile, the City of Vernon said it does not have a mandatory vaccination policy for staff.

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“The City has and continues to follow all the Orders and directives of the Provincial Health Officer, senior levels of government and WorkSafe BC in its response to the COVID-19 virus,” said city spokesperson Christy Poirer in an email to Global News.