Witness Testimony

Jessica Kraft, a donor care associate at Canadian Blood Services since 2013, testified that she returned from maternity leave in March 2021 to a workplace operating under masking, distancing, and screening protocols. She described changes to the clinic environment, including restrictions on donors receiving post-donation refreshments and sitting with companions, which she stated contributed to an increase in donor fainting reactions. She also noted organizational changes and described the environment as becoming more rigid and sterile compared to pre-pandemic conditions.
In September 2021, she received official notice of a vaccine mandate requiring employees to attest to their vaccination status and become fully vaccinated. Exemptions were described as available for medical or religious reasons; however, she testified that her physician was unwilling to provide a medical exemption for her functional heart murmur and indicated that any exemption would require further approval. Kraft objected to both the attestation requirement and subsequent rapid testing requirement, citing privacy concerns under personal health information legislation and concerns about workplace confidentiality.
After declining to attest vaccination status and refusing rapid testing, she was placed on unpaid leave and later terminated in October 2021. She testified that she sought union assistance and requested arbitration, but was ultimately informed that her grievance would not proceed and that she would receive no severance, reinstatement, or employment insurance eligibility. Kraft stated that although she found personal benefit in remaining home with her children, she testified on behalf of others who faced financial hardship and job loss as a result of similar mandates.