Holts Summit business part of new lawsuit by state attorney general after OSHA releases vaccine mandate rules
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri's attorney general says he will file a lawsuit on Friday in an attempt to block the federal vaccine mandate for private employers.
Shortly after, the office of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a news release he plans to sue once OSHA's Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for the rule is officially published in the federal register.
Schmitt called the mandate unconstitutional.
“The federal government does not have the authority to unilaterally force private employers to mandate their employees get vaccinated or foot the bill for weekly testing," Schmitt said in a statement. "I’ve been in discussions with businesses in Missouri, including a trailer manufacturing company in mid-Missouri, who say that this vaccine mandate will crush their business."
The attorney general's office has confirmed that Doolittle Manufacturing is the trailer manufacturing company mentioned in the press release. Doolittle Manufacturing is based out of Holts Summit.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released a statement against the latest federal mandate update from OSHA.
In a statement,
The Missouri Chamber opposes this onerous new federal mandate. Each workplace is different and employers have long held the right to establish vaccine policies that work for their businesses. The Missouri Chamber believes all employers should continue to have this right when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. In contrast with the Biden Administration’s approach, we believe the federal government should instead cooperate with the employer community to encourage vaccination and support employers that exercise their legal right to require vaccination. It’s unfortunate that this new federal policy will likely further divide public sentiment around COVID-19 vaccination.
Daniel P. Mehan, President/CEO of the Missouri Chamber
Schmitt's office already sued over the vaccine mandate for federal contractors.
Last week, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson also issued an executive order against federal vaccine mandates.
