New Brunswick has announced vaccination against COVID-19 will no longer be a condition of employment with the provincial government as of March 28.
That doesn’t include workers at health facilities, Ambulance NB and corrections, which the province says “remain vulnerable sectors.”
Unvaccinated employees who work in health and corrections will remain on leave without pay until they receive two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
All other unvaccinated employees who are on leave without pay will be able to return to work March 28.
“Full vaccination remains a condition of employment for current and new employees in nursing homes and adult residential facilities licensed by the Department of Social Development,” said the province in a release Friday.
The vaccination mandate was raised by Premier Blaine Higgs in mid-August 2021. Later, he officially announced that all civil servants must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 19, 2021.
Last month, the province said about 2,000 employees were put on unpaid leave due to the policy.
As COVID-19 restrictions ended in New Brunswick, the premier said the policy would also be revisited.
Friday’s update to the policy will also apply to volunteers, on-site vendors, suppliers and contractors.
The province will reassess the policy for workers in vulnerable sectors at the end of March.
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