Employment Lawyer on severance for oil industry workers

Due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in Alberta and the ongoing healthcare crisis, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. has recently announced a mandatory vaccination policy for all employees on work sites. Questions regarding severance upon termination have risen as a result as only employees with medical or religious exemptions will be permitted to work without vaccination.

Lluc Cerda, an employment lawyer in Alberta and Senior Associate at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP spoke with CBC News on the vaccination policy and its repercussions.

Cerda states that “mandatory vaccination policies are becoming common among employers but he is troubled when these policies don’t make room for alternatives like rapid-testing or allowing people to work from home.” Cerda goes on to explain the consequences for unvaccinated employees.

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“If an employee is suspended or terminated for not being vaccinated, they could be entitled to a severance package. If impacted employees are represented by a union, the union could file a grievance,” Cerda says, “It’s a stark choice that employees have.”