OCC calls for further clarity on vaccine passport system
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) says it is welcoming the province’s decision to implement a vaccine passport system later this month, but it is calling on the government to provide further clarity.
The chamber points to a number of benefits associated with the system including higher economic growth, greater consumer and business confidence, and reduced risk of further lockdowns, as well as the incentive to encourage more people to get vaccinated. However, says OCC president and CEO Rocco Rossi, small businesses need clear guidance on implementing the measures.
“There remains an opportunity for the government to provide further guidance to the province’s business community, particularly around workplace vaccination policies for employees,” he said in an open letter on the OCC website. “We are concerned that a lack of clear guidance will disproportionately impact small businesses and lead to a patchwork of inconsistent policies across the province. Clarity must be provided around what constitutes accommodation, how the technology can be used for employees, timelines, enforcement, and other considerations.
In late August, OCC released a proof-of-vaccination framework to support reopening plans for Ontario private sector businesses. The document was drafted in conjunction with legal firm McCarthy Tétrault, and outlines five guiding principles for private sector businesses to adopt in the development of any independent proof-of-vaccination frameworks.
They include taking all reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of their workforce and place of business, creating programs that are consistent with current science and public health recommendations on COVID-19, providing human rights-related accommodation to the point of undue hardship, using the least intrusive mechanism to verify vaccination status, and engaging in clear and ongoing dialogue with employees and customers to manage understanding and expectations and educate stakeholders about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.
“We have already seen a number of businesses, organizations, associations, unions, and post-secondary institutions implement their own proof-of-vaccination policies,” add Rossi. “With this framework, private sector businesses can implement similar programs with shared confidence.”