Two Stirling Park Retirement Community employees fired after manager’s wife given COVID-19 vaccine

Following an investigation into allegations that a manager at Stirling Park Retirement Community allowed his wife to get a COVID-19 vaccine in place of a housekeeper, the company has released a statement saying two employees have been let go.

The Riverstone Retirement Community confirmed the news in a memo Wednesday, adding that their focus will continue to be the health and wellness of their residents and employees.

No further comment will be provided on the matter, the company says.

News that a manager allowed for his wife to take the place of a housekeeper for the COVID-19 vaccine at the Nepean home came to light on February 10.

Stirling Park has been deemed a high-risk retirement home by the City of Ottawa, and has had its first COVID-19 vaccination doses administered to its residents.

At the time, frontline workers at the home were informed that if any doses remained, they would be first in line.

It was established that there were five extra doses and three staff members, an essential caregiver and a housekeeper, were slated to get the shot.

However, a decision was made by the home's executive to vaccinate his wife instead of the housekeeper, even though she had no ties to the home, and under public health rules, should not have even been in the building.

“[The housekeeper] was quite disappointed and upset by that,” explained Charlene Nero of The Laborers' International Union of North America Local 3000.

Nero says her members are sad, angry, disgusted and scared.

The union has filed a grievance against the home, saying it failed to keep a safe workplace and administer the vaccine in an appropriate manner.

“An employer that's willing to stand up and take responsibility when a mistake was made and do what can be done to make it right, that's what should be happening in these circumstances, but we should never get to this point,” Nero said.

– With files from Chris Kurys, CityNews