Scores of unvaccinated workers are filing wrongful dismissal claims against employers, lawyers say – The Globe and Mail

More cases of fired employees who refuse to get vaccinated are coming to the forefront, Osler’s Shaun Parker, partner, Employment and Labour, Calgary office, told The Globe and Mail in an interview.

“We’re seeing this mostly in the private sector,” says Shaun. “These employees are now engaging counsel and trying to pursue severance pay.”

Whether or not an employee can be fired for not adhering to an employer’s policy on vaccines is a complex issue, complicated by the fact that there has been no definitive court decision in Canada on how vaccine mandates can be enforced in workplaces.

Many employers in Canada began imposing vaccine mandates last fall, encouraged by public health guidelines about the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines against infections and severe disease.

If you have a subscription to the Globe and Mail read the full article posted January 13, 2022.