The Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board is facing years of hearings into complaints that COVID-19 vaccine mandates discriminated against federal employees’ religious beliefs, prompting the board to end in-person hearings to speed up the clearance of backlogs.
Arbitrator with the board, Christopher Rootham, noted the issue in his written decision on a federal employee’s grievance referred for adjudication.
“There are over 350 religious accommodation grievances currently active with the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board,” he wrote in March 2024, which was first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter.
He noted scheduling oral hearings for every instance of religious accommodation would be an “impossible burden for the employer, for the bargaining agents, and the Board,” and said all future cases will be determined through written submissions….