Michigan lawmakers are coming off a year of largely being sidelined by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her health department on decisions regarding the pandemic. While it's understandable they want to make their voices heard, they must stay in their lane.
And that's not dictating to businesses whether vaccine mandates in the private sector are appropriate.
The Legislature is moving forward with a bill that would prevent businesses from requiring their employees to be vaccinated, or to demand the unvaccinated wear masks.
The Republicans behind the legislation claim they are standing up for personal liberty, which has been much abused over the past year. They also say employees should not be treated differently just because they opt not to take a shot.
These lawmakers are missing the irony that after spending months criticizing Whitmer for her COVID-19 orders and onerous restrictions on businesses, they are seeking to do a version of the same thing.
In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine, the legislation applies to the flu, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis shots. Only a small handful of states, including GOP-led Montana, have gone so far as to prohibit private businesses from requiring employees to get the vaccine.
Rep. Sue Allor, R-Wolverine, spearheaded the legislation. She also sponsored another bill that would ban government-sponsored vaccine passports. That bill has passed the House but hasn't gone anywhere in the Senate.
Allor introduced her vaccine mandate ban in March, but it got renewed attention last week at a hearing.
"Not everyone is going to choose to get vaccinated," Allor said in a statement. "We need to govern within that reality. ... We should not be discriminating against individuals over a personal choice, or creating two classes of citizens based on that choice."
That may be, but employers need leeway in determining how best to manage their workplaces — especially as the country emerges from the pandemic. Businesses must grant exemptions for religious and medical concerns, and if other employees don't like the requirements, they are free to seek work elsewhere.
Michigan's leading business organizations oppose the legislation. Wendy Block, vice president of business advocacy and member engagement at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, says while the group isn't encouraging members to require vaccines, it understands why they may do so.
For instance, some companies — think those in the health field — have a compelling reason to keep patients and customers as safe as possible. And with pressure coming from the federal government to require vaccines, this could become more of an issue. President Joe Biden recently announced new regulations requiring vaccines among nursing home staff — or those facilities could lose Medicare and Medicaid funding.
Block says these decisions are difficult for employers and are best made internally. Given the tight job market, many bosses are likely to give workers as much flexibility as possible. But in cases where it could be harmful to other workers or customers, employers must reserve the right to make those calls.
"We generally oppose government interference," Block says.
Now that the Food and Drug Administration has given the Pfizer COVID-19 shot its full approval, it's completely acceptable for private businesses to require it. The Legislature shouldn't stand in the way.
