With more businesses starting to welcome back staff, it brings to question what workplaces will look like post-pandemic.
The province entered Stage One of its Roadmap to Reopen on June 11.
Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce CEO Allan Calvert said nothing has been set in stone but employers are discussing the possibility of mandatory vaccinations on a daily basis.
The Ministry of Labour and a senior partner at LSCS Law in Toronto both previously told Blackburn News that an employer can make vaccinations mandatory if they want to, subject to medical and religious exemptions. However, it does open the gate to ethical and legal issues.
"We've been discussing this with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce as well. This type of ruling is beyond Sarnia-Lambton and potentially beyond the province of Ontario, even to a federal level," said Calvert. "The issue that has arisen, comes to a human rights issue as to whether or not someone can be directed not to show up to work or potentially be declined a position because they haven't had the vaccination."
Calvert said regular conversations are also being had with companies in the U.S. as some employers have already started separating vaccinated and unvaccinated workers.
"Some companies that have an accounting office, a marketing office, are actually separating a segment of their office space for people who do not have the vaccination. That all of a sudden is shown to be not efficient," said Calvert.
County of Lambton General Manager of Corporate Services Stephane Thiffeault said this type of policy -- if implemented -- may be subject to workplace environment and risk factors such as those who work in long-term care services.
"We can't say that there's going to be a blanket mandatory vaccination requirement. Here at the County, we of course urge all of our employees to be vaccinated in accordance with public health guidelines," said Thiffeault. "Mandatory vaccination may not be the immediate step for many of our operations, if not all of our operations, but definitely individuals will be strongly encouraged to be vaccinated. In the absence of proof of vaccination or an exemption against vaccination then there would be familiarization and training for those individuals with respect to COVID-19."
Thiffeault said there are many factors to consider when it comes to COVID-19 and vaccinations is just one element to the approach workplaces will need to take moving forward.
"I think at the end of the day, there is not one-size-fits-all approach to slow reintegration into the workplace and every employer will have to interact with employees and adopt reasonable approaches and reasonable practices that are suited to their work environments," said Thiffeault.
Both Calvert and Thiffeault agreed that most health and safety protocols adopted over the past year will likely remain in place even after mass vaccination is reached.
Thiffeault said three things will likely remain in place, the responsibility for individuals to stay home when unwell, flexible work arrangements, and employers being more aware and considerate of the health, wellness, and safety of individuals.
"We have all learned a lot from this, especially in workplaces where you have groups of people that are in close proximity to each other," said Calvert. "We're going to be wearing masks for some time yet, there's no question about it."
As for the cost of personal protective equipment, Calvert said some local employers have already started to budget for future needs. If government funding eventually slows or ends, the cost would be assumed by the business and ultimately the consumer.