Iowa lawmakers passed a bill Thursday that will allow workers to receive unemployment benefits if they lose their job due to refusing to comply with COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
The bill, HSB 281, seeks to protect workers who are denied medical or religious exemptions to vaccine mandates.
The law is limited to an employee “discharged from employment for refusing to receive a vaccination against COVID-19.” The bill focuses on those who have been rejected for medical or religious exemption requests.
“I believe we have found a meaningful solution to protect Iowans and Iowa businesses from the Biden administration’s extreme government overreach,” Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican, said in a statement following the bill’s passing.
The House passed the bill in a 68–27 vote on Thursday. The legislation passed earlier in the Senate 45–4. Two major parts of the bill include:- Any business that requires the COVID-19 vaccine must allow waivers for employees if the vaccine could cause injury to a person’s health and well-being, and the business must allow a waiver for religious exemptions.
- If an employee is fired for not getting the vaccine, the business must make sure the employee is still eligible for unemployment benefits.
