Employment lawyer Lumi Pungea on vaccine booster policies

Interview Summary

With a rise in COVID-19 cases across the province of Ontario, the government has allowed more citizens to receive a vaccine booster dose. Will increased eligibility lead to new vaccine policies implemented at workplaces? Are employees permitted to refuse a booster dose or do they face termination from their employers?

Lumi Pungea, a Toronto employment lawyer and Partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP joins Kelly Cutrata on Global News Radio 640 Toronto to answer these questions and more.

Interview Notes

What do booster shots mean for vaccine mandates in the workplace?

It is important to remember that for most places there are no government vaccine mandates in place. Employers who decide to impose their own vaccine policies are doing so without the support of the government and are not doing so legally.

Can employment contracts with vaccine policies change to include booster shots?

Adding a third dose into a vaccine mandate is not considered legal unless the initial policy stated that there would be changes ongoing due to medical evidence. Employment contracts that do include terminology that allows for changes and are flexible can impose a booster shot as a consideration to be fully vaccinated.