Republican lawmakers push to forged vaccine refusal as a civil rights challenge | Coronavirus

State Republican lawmakers in the United States are pushing laws banning vaccine mandates to give denials of a Covid-19 vaccine the same legal protections that are often associated with gender, religion, and race issues.

Many Republican states are introducing bills banning vaccination assignments in state offices, schools, and workplaces, although vaccination assignments are not commonplace with employers. They’re also coming as the adoption of vaccines in the U.S. has slowed significantly, although the more contagious Delta variant is spreading rapidly, especially among unvaccinated people.

“It’s sort of a solution looking for a problem,” said Lowell Pearson, managing partner at Husch Blackwell, a company that keeps track of the bills. “We don’t really see a general sense of employers needing vaccines in office, manufacturing and other locations.”

Montana passed law in April banning employers from requiring vaccinations in order to find employment. Arizona has laws pending exempting people from vaccination if vaccination isn’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). South Carolina has passed Senate bill banning employers from firing, demoting, and suspending unvaccinated employees.

The legislative push goes hand in hand with politicizing the vaccination efforts of some Republicans, especially on their extremist wing. While some Republicans pushed people to get vaccinated, others tried to describe it as a government abuse, often using very provocative language. Georgia extremist Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has compared vaccination efforts to Nazi Germany, and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk has compared them to apartheid.

A recent Politico poll also found that while Democrats supported vaccine mandates and vaccination passports, Republicans opposed “the government or most employers violating their individual choices.” Another poll published by PBS NewsHour / NPR / Marist in March found that 41% of Republicans have no plans to get vaccinated.

Many people refuse to get vaccinated because they are concerned about the long-term side effects and don’t trust FDA approval. All three Covid-19 vaccines administered in the United States have received emergency clearance.

These Republican bills are aimed at protecting people from taking the vaccine for work or educational purposes.

Under the guidance of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers have the right to require their employees to be vaccinated. However, outside of the health sector, many choose not to.

A recent survey of 660 employers found that 72% “do not need or plan to be vaccinated before entering the workplace”. Instead, they encourage communication about the value of vaccinations, provide flexibility in planning, and consider vaccination on site or near the staff for the staff.

“We have a long history of employers in this country, the majority of whom are uninvolved in their employees’ health decisions,” said Pearson. “I think it respects that tradition and history.”

Instead of vaccination orders, employers provide incentives and rewards for employees who get vaccinated. This adds a small bonus to receiving the vaccine and avoids possible lawsuits against employers.

Kroger and Petco offer cash to employees who can prove they have been vaccinated. Target gives employees up to four hours of paid vacation to get vaccinated and even pays for taxi rides to and from the appointment. Krispy Kreme offered free donuts to people who showed their Covid-19 vaccination certificate.

“I think most employers recognize that there is some element of individual decision-making as to whether or not to be vaccinated,” Pearson said.