Telus Joins Rogers and Bell in Requiring COVID-19 Vaccinations for All Employees

Telus has announced its new vaccination policy for its Canadian employees, ahead of its corporate buildings slated to reopen in January 2022:

• Effective October 1, all TELUS team members and guests will be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter a TELUS administrative building.
• Effective October 15, all team members working outside of their residence in a customer-facing environment such as in retail, health, or as a technician supporting customers must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or submit to at least twice-weekly rapid antigen testing to prove they are Covid-19 negative.
• Effective January 2022, fully vaccinated office workers will be given the opportunity to return to work in a TELUS building on a part or full-time basis, as part of our innovative Work Styles policy that has enabled team members to work when and where they are most effective since 2006.

Telus says in January 2022, “unvaccinated team members will continue to work from home.”

The company says its decision comes as “vaccination rates amongst Canadians continue to rise, and with strong support for vaccination amongst team members.”

Telus says in a survey of employees in June, 89% said they had been vaccinated or intended to.

“We believe this is the right thing to do to protect our team members, their families, and our customers. The science is clear: vaccinations prevent serious illness and save lives, and are the best way to protect our team, our customers, and their loved ones,” concluded Telus.

Telus is the latest wireless carrier to announce COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees.

Rogers announced the same policy last week, while Bell did the same, noting employees need to be fully vaccinated to return to work or visit company workplaces this fall, according to CEO Mirko Bibic. Other Canadian companies such as Air Canada and big banks are also requiring vaccinations for employees, as the country continues to battle surging cases of COVID-19, again.