In a pivotal ruling by a labour arbitrator, remote employees of Canada Post who were suspended without pay for non-compliance with the organization’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy have triumphed in their grievance case, Union of Postal Communications Employees (PSAC) v. Canada Post Corporation, 2024 CanLII 38829.
This decision marks a significant moment in employment law, particularly regarding health mandates for remote workers.
The Union of Postal Communications Employees, representing remote workers at Canada Post, brought forward the grievance. The employees were suspended without pay for failing to comply with the corporation’s vaccine mandate, which required employees to receive two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The crux of the union’s argument was that the mandate was unreasonable for workers who performed their duties entirely remotely and had no physical interaction with the workplace or colleagues.
