Missouri exploring unemployment options for those who lose job over vaccine mandates

By Alexis Zotos

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    ST. LOUIS (KMOV) — On Wednesday afternoon, Brygida Little stood on an overpass above Interstate 270 along with a handful of others to protest vaccine mandates.

“I’m currently suspended without pay,” Little said, a registered nurse with BJC Healthcare. She was granted a religious exemption for the mandated COVID-19 vaccine at her work but now she is refusing to do the weekly testing.

“It violates my body and I told them my body’s the temple of the Holy Spirit,” Little said. She told News 4 if she does not get the vaccine by November 26 then she will be terminated.

All three COVID-19 vaccines have been tested and found to be safe and effective. But even though millions in the US have been safely vaccinated, some say they would rather lose their job then get the shot.

“I will try to get unemployment,” Little said.

But is she eligible?

“To the extent that an employer has a policy that says that an employee must be vaccinated and the employee chooses not to get vaccinated, they’re technically violating that policy. So it’s likely they’re not going to qualify for unemployment,” said Candace Johnson, an attorney at Carmody MacDonald.

In Iowa, the governor recently signed legislation that would allow those fired for not getting the vaccine to seek unemployment benefits. A spokesperson for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s office said he is familiar with the new law in Iowa and is exploring all options for Missourians.

Vaccine mandates are in effect at places like Mercy, BJC, St. Louis Public School System, St. Louis City and St. Louis County. Mercy announced the vaccination requirement in July, giving employees more than three months to get vaccinated. Those who chose not to get the vaccine were terminated for failure to follow policy.

On December 8, the federal vaccine mandate is set to go into effect for federal contractors. That includes places like Boeing and Ameren.

“At this time we are not yet subject to the U.S. government’s vaccine mandate. However, we have communicated with our employees that we believe Ameren would be subject to the vaccine mandate as a covered federal contractor per our general services agreement with the U.S. government,” said Mark Lindgren, chief human resources officer of Ameren.

Some Ameren workers have expressed concerns and do not plan to get the vaccine. A FAQ sheet handed out to Ameren workers at a union meeting states federal law allows employers to mandate vaccines as a condition of employment. It reads, “even if the union cannot bargain over the decision to require vaccines, it can bargain over the effects of that decision – that is how the mandate will be implemented.”

The White House has said these contractors will have flexibility in enforcing the vaccination deadline.

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