Mandatory Vaccination Will Kick In For TTC Workers Next Month & Their Jobs Are On The Line

Employees with the TTC only have a few months to get vaccinated or face losing their job, according to its new mandatory vaccination policy.

According to a release posted on October 15, the transit agency said unvaccinated employees will be put on unpaid leave on November 20 and fired after December 31 if they do not get vaccinated or share their proof of vaccination.

Employees with an approved accommodation or medical exemption will not be included in the new firing policy, the TTC said, but "no decisions" have been made yet as to how those employees will be accommodated.

"It is unfortunate we have to take these steps" Rick Leary, the CEO of the TTC, said in the release. "The TTC is an essential service and we need it to be a safe place for everyone. We will be doing everything we can to uphold our core value of safety."

The TTC said that approximately 85% of its employees have shared their vaccination status, with 89% of those being fully vaccinated.

In order to figure out how to keep running without disruptions and with potentially fewer staff, the agency said it's looking at re-hiring retired employees, expediting hiring and retraining other workers.

"As well, starting Nov. 21, scheduled hours may need to be reduced depending on staff availability," the TTC said.