All five of Canada’s largest banks will soon make vaccinations mandatory for all employees who want to return to the office, and those who do not comply will have to agree to regular testing.
TD told its employees in an email Friday that all employees are required to register their vaccination status with the bank by the end of next month.
“Effective November 1, 2021, a full vaccination of the approved COVID-19 vaccine will be a requirement for all TD colleagues entering the TD workplace,” reads the email from Chief Human Resources Officer Ken Lalonde obtained by CBC News.
The memo does not mention the penalty for non-compliance, but it does make clear that anyone who is not immune will have a number of episodes to go through.
“From November 1, 2021, there will be additional protocols for colleagues who have not yet been fully vaccinated, or have not disclosed their vaccination status, including completing an educational module on the benefits of vaccination, and mandatory rapid testing for COVID-19. And the note stated, “Wear a face covering at all times.”
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CIBC wrote a blog post to employees announcing a similar policy that will be in effect by the end of October.
“We strongly encouraged every member of our CIBC team to get vaccinated,” said Sandy Sharman, Head of the Bank’s People, Culture and Brand Group.
“It’s the single best way to deal with the pandemic, and it’s an important way we can protect our family, friends, and colleagues. That’s why today, I wanted to share with you that we will be ordering the vaccination of employees by October 31, 2021.”
The Bank of Montreal told all employees in an email from Chief Human Resources Officer Mona Malone that due to the emergence of the Delta variant, it will also mandate vaccinations for all employees in person.
“Our new requirement is that all eligible North American employees and contractors receive their vaccines, with a target end date of October 31,” Malone said. “Those who have not received the vaccination will be required to complete a COVID-19 test twice a week and comply with alternative health and safety measures to enter the BMO site.”
Scotiabank makes a similar move, although it doesn’t tie a specific date to the policy. “We are moving toward making vaccinations mandatory for all employees and contractors based in Canada, later in the fall,” Chief Human Resources Officer Barb Mason told all employees in a memo obtained by CBC News.
The Royal Bank of Canada will also issue the vaccinations, with the CEO Dave McKay says in a LinkedIn post: That “in the coming days and weeks, we will be too [attempting to] Confirm the vaccination status of all our employees. This effort will begin in Canada and the United States, where those able to be fully vaccinated will be required to do so by October 31.”
The moves of four of Canada’s largest banks come a week after the government in Ottawa called on federally regulated industries – which will include banks – to impose vaccinations as COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant of the coronavirus continue to rise.
Porter Airlines and financial conglomerate Sun Life took similar steps on Wednesday. Several municipal governments, universities, and public services such as the Toronto Transit Commission have announced mandates for vaccines in recent days.
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