5 GOP-led states extend unemployment aid to workers who lose jobs over vaccine mandates
David Weigel Retweeted
Looks like a fifth red state (Arkansas) has decided to effectively pay workers *not* to get vaccinated:
Business
5 GOP-led states extend unemployment aid to workers who lose jobs over vaccine mandates
Critics says the rule changes in Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas and Tennessee are incentivizing people to skip shots, and undermining the White Houses pandemic response.
By Aaron Gregg
Today at 6:00 a.m. EST
At least five Republican-led states have extended unemployment benefits to people whove lost jobs over vaccine mandates and a smattering of others may soon follow.
Workers who quit or are fired for cause including for defying company policy are generally ineligible for jobless benefits. But Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas and Tennessee have carved out exceptions for those who wont submit to the multi-shot coronavirus vaccine regimens that many companies now require. Similar ideas have been floated in Wyoming, Wisconsin and Missouri.
Critics contend that these states are incentivizing people to skip shots that public health experts say offer the best line of defense against the coronavirus. Business leaders and industry groups have argued against the rule changes because, they say, companies would shoulder much of the costs. And the efforts are playing out as the Biden administration is pressing immunization rules for private companies and as coronavirus cases are surging again because of the fast-spreading omicron variant.
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By Aaron Gregg
Aaron Gregg is a business reporter focused on corporate accountability and the intersection of business and government. Twitter
https://twitter.com/Post_AG