Unvaccinated workers returning to the office could be required to continue wearing masks, steer clear of common areas and face a staggered workday B次元官网网址� or may even be asked to stay home, experts say.

As workplaces begin to reopen, employers are grappling with how to keep all workers safe B次元官网网址� including those who are unvaccinated.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a situation that risks stigmatizing vaccine holdouts and potentially triggering workplace anxiety for some, according to human resources experts.

Some employers have created incentives to encourage workers to get immunized against COVID-19, such as paid time off for inoculations and prizes like gift cards and company swag after a shot.

Others are considering policies that make vaccination a necessary condition of employment that could see workers who choose not to be vaccinated for personal reasons out of work.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had some clients that work in an office setting that want to propose a mandatory vaccine policy in their workplace,B次元官网网址� said Olivia Cicchini, an employment law specialist with Peninsula Canada, a Toronto-based human resources and health and safety consulting firm.

B次元官网网址淚f you can prove that you need that requirement, like if your workers are seeing clients or you donB次元官网网址檛 have enough room for physical distancing, then you might be able to justify it.B次元官网网址�

However, people who cannot be immunized for medical or religious reasons protected under human rights legislation as well as most unionized workers would be exempt from a mandatory vaccine requirement, she said.

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B次元官网网址淚f your workplace is in Canada and itB次元官网网址檚 not unionized, employers can terminate employees for any reason at any time as long as that reason is not discriminatory,B次元官网网址� Cicchini said.

B次元官网网址淚f an employee chooses not to get vaccinated just because of personal choice, the employer could choose to terminate them on a without cause basis and provide them with their termination pay.B次元官网网址�

However, rules that single out employees who have opted out of vaccines B次元官网网址� such as mandatory masks, a staggered workday or the segregation of unvaccinated workers to certain floors or areas of the office B次元官网网址� raise concerns around privacy and stigmatization, experts say.

B次元官网网址淭heir vaccine status becomes very apparent to everyone in the office,B次元官网网址� said David Zweig, associate professor of organizational behaviour and human resources management at the University of Toronto.

B次元官网网址淚t becomes a bit of a privacy issue because suddenly, everyone knows that you did not get vaccinated.B次元官网网址�

Employers should first develop incentives to encourage vaccine-hesitant employees to get the jab, he said.

For example, Loblaw Companies Ltd. provides workers with up to three hours of paid time off for a vaccination, while Maple Leaf Foods has held multiple on-site vaccine clinics for its workers.

Still, while reducing the barriers to getting a vaccine and providing incentives are helpful, an employerB次元官网网址檚 top priority remains the collective safety of all employees, Zweig said.

B次元官网网址淚t means that if youB次元官网网址檙e someone whoB次元官网网址檚 unvaccinated, youB次元官网网址檒l probably have to wear (personal protective equipment) when you go back into the office,B次元官网网址� Zweig said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a reasonable expectation to protect the safety of everyone else who is vaccinated.B次元官网网址�

He added: B次元官网网址淭he key here is for employers to do whatever is necessary to ensure that people are safe and feel safe and mitigate some of these anxieties surrounding the return to work.B次元官网网址�

If unvaccinated workers are uncomfortable being singled out in the office, Zweig said there may be options to reasonably accommodate them through measures like a segregated workspace, staggered workday, different common areas or continued work from home.

Yet there could be career repercussions for workers who choose to continue working from home to avoid being vaccinated, he said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 probably guaranteed to have an impact on your career progression,B次元官网网址� Zweig said. B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e working from home, but your team is all back in the office, youB次元官网网址檙e out of the loop.B次元官网网址�

Ultimately, if someone is choosing not to be vaccinated for personal reasons B次元官网网址渢hey have a choice to make,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭hey have to deal with the consequences of their actions,B次元官网网址� Zweig said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l have to wear PPE when theyB次元官网网址檙e at work and if someone unvaccinated is uncomfortable with that, then they have a choice to make.B次元官网网址�

Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press

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