Florida Throws Wrench In Federal Vaccine Mandate Programs

Tampa, Fla. (November 24, 2021) -  Earlier this month, OSHA issued emergency workplace safety rules requiring businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure their employees are vaccinated or submit to regular COVID-19 testing. In response, on November 18, 2021, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law four bills passed during a special session of the Florida legislature, which limit employers' ability to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates and prohibit school districts from adopting a mask mandate or requiring asymptomatic students that have been exposed to COVID-19 to quarantine and require Florida to set up its own OSHA program.

Employers in Florida are now prohibited from requiring their employees to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine without allowing them an opportunity to claim one of several new exemptions. Frankly, some of the exemptions are so broad anyone can "opt out." These include: (a) medical exemption; (b) pregnancy or expectant pregnancy; (c) religious