53 unvaccinated employees placed on unpaid leave by Ottawa's public school board

OTTAWA -

Fifty-three employees are on unpaid leave at Ottawa's public school board for violating its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board says 23 of the 53 employees suspended for not being vaccinated are teachers in elementary and secondary schools.

In September, trustees approved a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for all teachers and staff members in OCDSB schools.

Under the policy, all OCDSB employees had to be partially vaccinated by Sept. 30, and fully vaccinated no later than Nov. 15.  Any new employees will be required to provide evidence they are fully vaccinated as a condition of employment.

The OCDSB tells CTV News Ottawa that the 53 permanent and term employees were placed on unpaid leave as of Oct. 29.

An OCDSB spokesperson says the board's human resources department supported schools and departments to fill the 53 vacancies with "fully vaccinated casual staff or occasional teachers."

According to the OCDSB website, as of Oct. 15, 92 per cent of the board's 11,932 employees have attested to being fully vaccinated with supporting documentation. Seventy-five employees have attested to being fully vaccinated without providing documentation.

The OCDSB says 202 employees were partially vaccinated as of Oct. 15, while 31 employees have attested to having a documented medical or other human rights-based reasons for not being fully vaccinated.

The Ottawa Catholic School Board says 95 per cent of its 5,256 employees are fully vaccinated (as of Oct. 20), while 1.52 per cent (80 employees) are partially vaccinated.

Seven employees have provided a documented medical reason for not being fully vaccinated.

The Ottawa Catholic School Board implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for staff and visitors at the end of September.