Large coalition calls on legislature to protect employers’ rights to stop the spread of COVID-19 during special session

As the General Assembly returns to Frankfort Tuesday for a special session, a diverse coalition representing employers and workers is calling on lawmakers to protect employers’ rights to use all tools available to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The group sent the following statement to lawmakers:

“As Kentucky continues to suffer the effects of COVID-19 and case rates rise, we call on policy makers to protect the rights of employers to manage their affairs to use all tools available to stop this terrible disease. Vaccination is key to ending COVID-19, and we must preserve the rights of employers to make decisions that make the most sense for their business, staff, and customers. This includes the right to require vaccination as a condition of employment and to use other methods available to stop the virus. Every day employers are making difficult decisions to ensure they are protecting their workforce and patrons, and these decisions are not made lightly. Employers have an obligation to act, to listen to multiple perspectives, and to balance the needs of the diverse workforce with their obligation to protect customers and staff. The laws in place allow employers to do this and account for the fact that not all workplaces are the same and have the same set of risks.”

The coalition includes the following groups:

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Kentucky Retail Federation
Commerce Lexington
Greater Louisville Inc.
Northern Kentucky Chamber
Kentucky Hospital Association
Kentucky Medical Association
Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities Kentucky Center for Assisted Living
Kentucky School Boards Association
Houchens Industries
Kentucky Association of Manufacturers
Kentucky Senior Living Association
Kentucky Association of School Superintendents
Kentucky Health Collaborative
Henderson Chamber of Commerce
Apartment Association of Kentucky
Louisville Apartment Association
Bowling Green Apartment Association
Greater Lexington Apartment Association
Campbellsville University
Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU)
Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce
The Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce
Hopkins County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
Kentucky Nonprofit Network
Goodwill Industries of Kentucky
Hazard – Perry County Chamber