Before the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Ohio Chamber recently filed an amicus brief highlighting our opposition to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) rule that would require companies with more than 100 employees to mandate their employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine or require unvaccinated employees to undergo weekly testing.
The Ohio Chamber’s brief was joined by the Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, Ohio Bankers League, Ohio Grocers Association, Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio and Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association. The amicus brief focused on how the OSHA rule could further hinder Ohio’s challenging labor market and how ambiguity in the proposed rule makes compliance difficult for employers across the Buckeye State.
At the Ohio Chamber, we advocate for employers to maintain the right to set the health and safety procedures that fit their company best and this amicus brief is only our latest effort pushing back against government overreach that limits what employers can and cannot do in regards to setting COVID-19 vaccine protocols. Likewise, the Ohio Chamber will continue to oppose efforts that seek to insert government between the employer and employee relationship regardless of whether the threat comes from the federal government of the Statehouse.
Due to legal fights from multiple businesses and attorneys general like Ohio’s Dave Yost, the proposed OSHA rule, which was set to be enforced starting on January 4, 2022, has been paused pending the outcome of litigation. That is why it was important for the Ohio business community to make their concerns known to the court through an amicus brief because ultimately federal judges will decide the fate of this burdensome and one-size-fits-all COVID-19 vaccination policy.