Hearings Set on Employer Rights Reduction

On August 24, the House will start holding hearings again on a bill that would limit employers’ rights with respect to vaccination policy. The House Health Committee will hear testimony on House Bill 248 – a bill prohibiting any public or private entity (i.e. businesses, schools, childcare facilities, universities, or hospitals) from mandating or requesting an individual get any vaccine, not just the COVID-19 vaccine, or from requiring or requesting an individual’s vaccine status.

Ross McGregor, a former state representative and president and owner of Pentaflex Inc., testified on behalf of the OMA against the legislation in June. While his company doesn’t currently mandate COVID-19 vaccinations, McGregor testified that, “Employers are in the best position to make those choices on how best to protect their companies, not the government. Restricting an employer’s ability to safeguard its employees’ health in the workplace not only puts its employees, their families, and communities in danger, but also impacts the manufacturing supply chain, which is already fragile due to the complex nature of our businesses.” 8/12/2021