The Town of Newmarket is reporting 97.4 per cent of its employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, though the remaining staff could face dismissal under town policy.
The municipality implemented a mandatory policy in September, requiring all its employees to have a first COVID-19 vaccination dose by Oct. 1, and have two doses by Nov. 1. The town said 0.3 per cent of staff are partially vaccinated, 1.6 per cent are not vaccinated and 0.7 per cent have not disclosed their status.
Chief administrative officer Ian McDougall said the town is working with its employees in hopes of achieving 100 per cent compliance but the policy does state non-compliant employees could face discipline and dismissal.
“The town’s human resource team has gone through an extensive education process with employees who are hesitant and worked directly with each individual, starting when the policy was announced,” McDougall said. “We are hopeful we can achieve 100 per cent compliance over the coming weeks.”
The town has about 725 staff, though it did not provide an updated numerical breakdown for vaccinated employees before publication deadline. The 2.3 per cent of employees not vaccinated or not disclosing status would amount to approximately 17 employees, with approximately 706 completely compliant.
The town’s policy is similar to that of York Region, with both allowing for religious and human-rights-based exemptions, though not a philosophical opposition to COVID-19 vaccination. A higher percentage of Newmarket’s employees were compliant as of Nov. 1 compared to York Region, with about six per cent of York’s 4,704 employees not vaccinated or not disclosing status.
Newmarket has yet to outline a timeline for discipline, as York Region has done. York has said it will put unvaccinated employees on leave as of Nov. 8, with dismissal on the table Jan. 5.
“We are currently working with those employees on a one-to-one basis in a manner that supports our commitment to a safe workplace,” McDougall said.
The municipality began offering more in-person services Nov. 1, including municipal office access. It is similarly requiring vaccinations of council members, as well as the general public entering its facilities.
“With many public-facing organizations facing the same challenges, we remain committed to do what we need to in order to keep the public and our staff safe,” McDougall said.
