Almost all grievances stemming from the employer’s failure to grant a religious or medical exemption from the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccination policy for public servants have now passed through the final level of the grievance procedure. Many of these were accompanied by a second grievance contesting the period of leave without pay that followed a refusal to be vaccinated. These were also presented at the final level.
Last month, CIU started to receive the employer’s final level responses, which continue to deny these grievances. As responses come in, the files are being sent to PSAC for referral to adjudication. PSAC has agreed to provide representation, and the grievances will now be sent to the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board.
If you have filed an accommodation grievance contesting the employer’s failure to provide you with a medical or religious exemption, you should receive a final level response in the coming weeks. Be assured that if your grievance continues to be denied, we will be moving your grievance(s) on to PSAC.
