Government Defers Back Pay Decision

An image featuring Attorney General Louise Mitchell. This image was sourced from the API.

By Val Matthias. Updated 3:32 p.m., Friday, January 23, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Attorney General Louise Mitchell announced at a press conference in Kingstown on January 23, 2026, that the government has deferred a decision on back pay for public sector workers dismissed under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, explaining “We will not actually know how many persons are resuming until the end of this month, and that figure is critical before any determination on back pay can be made.”

She confirmed Cabinet had approved the committee’s recommendation to delay the matter until after the January 30 resumption deadline, stressing that only workers who return in person will be eligible for benefits such as pension and vacation leave. Of the 116 workers dismissed prior to December 2025, 100 have resumed duties and 92 have already been placed in equivalent posts, with the remaining eight awaiting placement.

Mitchell emphasized transparency and consensus in the process, noting, “We wanted to ensure that in the implementation of the logistics, wherever possible, we would have consensus with the persons who were so affected.”

While unions continue to press for compensation, Mitchell acknowledged the issue’s importance saying, “We understand that workers and unions are keenly interested in the question of back pay. It is not being ignored, but it must be addressed responsibly once we have the full picture.”

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