Missouri Legislators and the U.S. Supreme Court Address Vaccine Mandates

The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week on six different bills that seek to protect employees from employer mandates to get vaccinated as a condition of employment. Numerous business groups testified against the bills, arguing that the legislature should allow businesses to decide which vaccine policy is best for their industry’s situation and needs.  

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which establishes rules for workplace safety, does not have the authority to require all employees working for companies with more than 100 employees to be vaccinated to keep their jobs. The Court ruled 5-4, on the other hand, that the Department of Health and Human Services, which regulates the Medicaid and Medicare programs, does have the authority to mandate that all healthcare workers be vaccinated to continue to participate in those federal programs, subject to medical and religious exemptions.