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Mandatory Vaccination

Kamloops implements vaccination mandate for city employees

Oct 19, 2021 | 3:35 PM

KAMLOOPS – The City of Kamloops is requiring its employees to receive COVID-19 vaccination.

According to a news release Tuesday (Oct. 19) afternoon, City employees, contractors and volunteers will be required to prove full vaccination status by Dec. 15, 2021.

The City states the timeline was chosen because it allows sufficient time for employees who have not yet received their first dose of vaccine to be fully vaccinated. A policy with details of the expectations, timelines, options and consequences will be rolled out to City employees no later than Oct. 31, which will provide more than six weeks to meet the policy expectations.

“We have taken employee and public safety very seriously throughout the pandemic and have followed public health advice and orders as the driver for our operational decisions at the City,” Kamloops Chief Administrative Officer David Trawin states. “We have strongly encouraged our employees to become vaccinated over the past six months and we feel it is now time to put a policy around those expectations.”

COVID-19 safety measures at Kamloops facilities have included mandatory masks, employee health check-ins, social distancing, hand-washing, sanitizing, reduced room capacity, increased virtual participation and a work-from-home pilot project.

The City states BC Human Rights Code accommodations will be made for the few employees who are unable to be vaccinated for a valid reason related to a protected ground.

Kamloops’ mandatory vaccination policy comes one day after the City of Vancouver implemented a similar mandate.

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