176 Iowans have claimed unemployment benefits for not getting vaccinated

The state is reporting 176 Iowans claimed unemployment benefits within about the first six weeks of a new law extending jobless payments to people fired for not getting vaccinated.

According to Iowa Workforce Development, 176 people filed for unemployment benefits “citing jobs that had ended due to a failure to comply with an employer’s mandate for the COVID-19 vaccine” between Nov. 1 and Dec. 8. IWD said 35.2 percent of them worked in “health care and social assistance,” and 19.9 percent worked in manufacturing.

“I think that certainly it could be higher if we didn’t have a stay on some of the [federal] vaccine mandates,” said Denise Hill, an attorney and Drake University professor who wrote a book about workplace vaccine mandates. “Certainly some of the employers, regardless if they’re health care or otherwise, have stayed termination.”

The Iowa Legislature passed a law in late October that directs employers to waive vaccine requirements for employees who say they believe the COVID-19 vaccine would hurt their health or wellbeing or would conflict with their religion. They don’t have to provide proof from a doctor or religious leader.

https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2021-12-10/176-iowans-have-claimed-unemployment-benefits-for-not-getting-vaccinated