The Missouri Chamber today praised Senate Republican and Democrat leaders who voted down an amendment to ban workplace vaccine requirements that was offered by Sen. Bob Onder on an unrelated public construction bill on April 4. Specifically, the amendment would have given employees or prospective employees a cause of action against employers who have a COVID-19 vaccine requirement, allowing employees to sue for punitive damages, three-times back pay or even prospective wages and benefits.
“Employers are the key to getting our economy and lives back to normal and this type of policy is the last thing that they need. We applaud those senators who stood up for employers last night by voting down this dangerous amendment,” said Daniel P. Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “It is disappointing to see lawmakers use the COVID-19 pandemic as a windfall for trial attorneys, but we are grateful that the majority of senators have employers’ backs.”
In an effort to protect Missouri’s employers, the Missouri Chamber has led the Let Business Decide campaign to convene Missouri employers and educate lawmakers.
“The Missouri Chamber believes that government should not dictate employers’ vaccination policies, and certainly should not expose them to additional frivolous lawsuits,” said Mehan.
