PLAST TORONTO COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY 

Plast Toronto Branch is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy environment. With Ontario requiring proof of vaccination focused on indoor public settings, effective September 22, 2021, we are taking additional measures to protect our members, volunteers, participants, employees and their families from COVID-19.  With COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in Canada by Health Canada and more readily available to the general public, we are implementing a mandatory vaccination policy to ensure that our eligible employees, volunteers, and members are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.  

PURPOSE 

In accordance with Plast Toronto’s obligation to ensure the health and safety of our employees, volunteers and members, this policy is intended to assist in safeguarding their health and safety, and the community at large from COVID-19.  

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COVID-19 VACCINE 

Health Canada has promoted the benefits and safety of approved COVID-19 vaccines and recommends that all individuals who can safely do so get vaccinated against COVID-19.  Public health officials continue to advocate strongly that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and the best way to protect you and those around you from serious illness.

EXISTING COVID-19 PREVENTION MEASURES  

Plast Toronto will continue to follow all federal, provincial and local legislation and public health guidelines and implement new safety requirements, including additional vaccination requirements as appropriate.  

We will continue to comply with all national, provincial and local public health requirements and COVID-19 prevention requirements.  

POLICY  

 To ensure a safe environment, help prevent the infection and spread of COVID-19, and as an integral part of its public health and safety measures, Plast Toronto requires that all employees, volunteers and members, including youth, who are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine and can safely do so, be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior to attending any in-person Plast activities, events or employment. 

RECORD OF VACCINATION  

All Plast Toronto Employees, Volunteers and Members, who are eligible to receive the vaccine, will be required to disclose and provide proof of vaccination status (along with proof of identity as required and requested), prior to participation in any in-person Plast activities whether indoor or outdoor). This includes but is not limited to the Plast Huculak Centre at 516 The Kingsway and our Camp Premises at Plast “Sich” in Grafton, ON.

Proof of Vaccination shall consist of a vaccine certificate from a pharmacy or public health department which indicates the date and time the final dose was received.  

Proof of vaccination or approved exemption, will only have to be provided once, and the Vaccine Disclosure and Consent Form will be retained with the individual’s membership/registration record. 

Individuals who do not provide vaccination status will be considered unvaccinated for the purposes of this policy, and will not be permitted to participate in in-person activities at this time, or until such time that the individual provides proof of full vaccination. 

Individuals who are in the process of their vaccination cycle, must provide proof of full vaccination before they may participate in any in-person activities. Failure to provide proof of vaccination will result in a reassignment in work or volunteer duties/hours or, in the case of employees, disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to, reassignment of duties, unpaid leave or termination.

HUMAN RIGHTS   

We understand that certain individuals may be unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to certain protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Plast Toronto respects these rights and will accommodate individuals from the strict application of this policy who qualify based on one or more of the protected grounds of discrimination in the Human Rights Code up to the point of undue hardship.  

Individuals seeking accommodation or an exemption are required by law to self-identify the specific protected ground of discrimination they believe vaccination would infringe and must submit a request for reasonable accommodation as soon as possible for consideration.  Individuals seeking accommodation must also participate in the accommodation process including providing information to establish the existence of a protected ground, related restrictions, and possible methods of accommodation.  Accommodations will be granted where they do not cause Plast Toronto Branch undue hardship or pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others. 

NO HARASSMENT OR RETALIATION  

Plast Toronto expressly prohibits any form of harassment, discipline, reprisal, intimidation, or retaliation. If you experience or witness any form of harassment or retaliation in violation of this policy, please report it immediately to the Executive Director of Plast Toronto.

PRIVACY PROTECTION  

We are committed to protecting your personal information. Collection, use and disclosure of personal information under this Policy will be in compliance with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).   

Vaccination status will only be collected, used, and disclosed as required for the reasonable purpose of:

• Taking all reasonable precautions during the pandemic to ensure the health and safety of everyone in the workplace or location of Plast activities through appropriate health and safety planning based on vaccination status;
• Where different health and safety protocols apply to vaccinated versus unvaccinated individuals, Plast Toronto will disclose vaccination status information to managers (or volunteer managers) and supervisors in order to assign work and monitor compliance with the protocols. 

Personal information, including vaccination status and underlying medical conditions (if disclosed), will be kept confidential and will only be shared and accessed on a need-to-know basis for the purposes outlined above, or to comply with a legal order to disclose the information.

This information will be securely stored in a secure filing cabinet or a computer that is password protected and on a secure network and will be destroyed when this information is deemed to be no longer needed – either following the conclusion of the employment relationship or at the end of the registered year (September – June) if the member or volunteer does not renew their registration with Plast Toronto Branch.  

POLICY ADMINISTRATION AND QUESTIONS 

The Executive Director Plast Toronto is responsible for administering this policy.  If you have any questions about this policy or about health and safety issues that are not addressed in this policy, please contact the Executive Director of Plast Toronto Branch.

POLICY MODIFICATION 

Plast Toronto will update and modify this policy to adapt to changing circumstances and business needs, consistent with its commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, the evolving nature of the pandemic, and government and public health authority direction.