Employment lawyer on job loss for unvaccinated workers

Interview Summary

As the rate of fully vaccinated citizens across the province continues to rise, many workers have expressed concerns about working with unvaccinated colleagues. Many companies have since imposed their own vaccine policies and mandates which could lead to a rise in terminations for unvaccinated employees.

Lior Samfiru, a Toronto employment lawyer and Partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP spoke with Sharmeen Somani at Global News on the ongoing debate of vaccine policies in the workplace.

Interview Notes

“If it is the employer’s decision to impose a vaccine mandate, damages and legal recourse are available to employees. If the government is imposing the decision, there are much more limited options,” says Samfiru.

Samfiru goes on to explain that unvaccinated employees who work in sectors without a government mandate if let go, can claim compensation.

“Employees who are let go will be owed severance, that could be as much as two years pay per employee,” Samfiru states. Samfiru goes on to say that employers should think twice before firing employees.