The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) announced this week that it will extend its COVID-19 vaccine policy for staff by about three weeks.

In a newsletter distributed by School Trustee Shelley Laskin, the TDSB will not place all unvaccinated employees on home assignment without pay on Nov. 2, which was the initial mandate.

Unvaccinated workers who have not completed a vaccination attestation or any anti-rapid antigen test since September will be placed on unpaid leave.

In the newsletter, Baskin outlines the new updates on vaccination requirements for staff.

• Any staff who have not disclosed their vaccination status by Nov.1, 2021 will be placed on a non-disciplinary administrative leave of absence without pay effective Nov. 2.
• Staff who have disclosed that they are not vaccinated have until Nov. 21, 2021 to comply with the procedure. Until then, they will continue to complete the Rapid Antigen Test twice weekly and verify its results as part of their daily health screening.
• Staff who by Nov.19 have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine will have another month to complete their second dose.
• Staff who have received no vaccination by Nov. 21 will be placed on a non-disciplinary administrative leave of absence without pay.
• Staff who have applied for a medical or creed-based accommodation will continue to complete the Rapid Antigen Test twice weekly while pending the decision on their request. If their request is denied, they have 45 days to comply with the procedure or be placed on a non-disciplinary administrative leave of absence without pay.
• All staff returning to the TDSB after leaves will be expected to comply with the procedure.

Further, in a previous update on the TDSB’s status on contacting staff about their vaccine statuses, Baskin wrote, “the TDSB continues to contact staff directly to complete the attestation form. It’s thought that many of the those who have not yet completed the form are casual employees who may not have worked for the school board yet this school year. Of note, the TDSB is currently in the process of implementing a Mandatory Vaccine Procedure for staff, trustees and other individuals who have direct contact with staff or students at a TDSB workplace.

Please note that staff has made the decision to continue to implement the mandatory vaccination procedure beyond the November 1st deadline. While staff who have not submitted their attestation or rapid antigen testing results will be put on home assignment without pay as of November 2nd, the full implementation will take place over the following three weeks. This decision was based on feedback from system leaders, a longer than anticipated time required to review a significant number of requests for exemptions, and in order to ensure continuity in students’ learning and care and important business processes. Additional information will be provided to Trustees at Planning and Priorities on Thursday.”

About four per cent, or 1,740 employees, have not submitted an attestation form, and about five per cent who have approved medical exemptions for not being fully vaccinated, according to the newsletter.

About 88.5 per cent, or about 33,000 employees have been fully vaccinated.

The Ontario Ministry of Education required all school board employees to disclose their vaccination status by Oct. 22.

During question period this week, Ontario education minister Stephen Leece said that up to 50,000 education workers can be fired if COVID-19 vaccines were mandated for that sector.

“I think we have to be coupled by realism and ensure that any staff member who enters our school has a double test, a negative antigen test, to ensure they are safe, to ensure our schools could be staffed, and these kids can continue to go to school every day,” Leece said.

For now, all unvaccinated staff must test negative twice a week, according to Leece’s staff.

The Toronto District School Board is the largest school board in Canada and one of the largest in North America. We have nearly 600 schools and serve approximately 247,000 students each year, according to its website.

More details to follow.

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