VICTORIA - The British Columbia government says more than 98 per cent of public service workers meet provincial proof-of-vaccination requirements.
The Public Service Agency says in a statement 432 employees either are unvaccinated or declined to disclose their status before the Nov. 22 deadline for them to be either partially or fully vaccinated.
The statement says 97 per cent of the more than 38,000 government workers are fully vaccinated, 439 people are partially vaccinated and another 274 workers have asked for accommodation based on medical or other reasons.
The statement says employees who are unvaccinated, refuse to disclose their status, or who are partially vaccinated and don't get their second dose within the 35-day time frame after their first dose, will be placed on unpaid leave for three months.
Employees who do not show proof of full vaccination after the three-month unpaid leave may be terminated.
The policy applies to all employees who work for the B.C. public service and includes those on boards, commissions, agencies or any organization where the Public Service Act applies.
The government has said that bringing in the policy is part of an effort to boost the full vaccination rate, which currently sits at 87.8 per cent for all those 12 and older in B.C.
