Gov DeSantis Wants Legislature To Stop Businesses From Mandating Vaccines For Employees

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he's calling for a special legislative session in November to consider legislation that would penalize businesses that fire workers who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Republican governor, an outspoken opponent of vaccine and mask mandates, made the announcement Thursday at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, surrounded by firefighters and airline employees who stand to lose their jobs for refusing to be vaccinated.

DeSantis said it's an issue that can't wait for the regular 2022 legislative session.

"I don't think we can wait until next year," DeSantis said. "Some of these people are going to be fired between now and the end of the year. We need to take legislative action now to protect these employees."

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He noted that, when the pandemic was declared, many business owners feared a wave of litigation by customers claiming to have contracted the coronavirus at their businesses. In response, said DeSantis, the Florida Legislature passed a law protecting businesses from COVID-19 liability.

"We stood up for businesses against liability, and now I feel like they're stabbing us in the back after we stood up for them," he said. "The minute you start mandating vaccinations, that COVID liability protection should go by the wayside as soon as you start firing people."

In addition to withdrawing liability protections from individual businesses, DeSantis wants the Legislature to allow employees fired for cause for refusing to be vaccinated to be eligible for unemployment benefits.

Normally, an employee fired for cause is not eligible to receive benefits.

"A lot of employers are not honoring the religious beliefs and health concerns of workers," he said. "We have to stand up for people's jobs and livelihoods."

Joining DeSantis at the news conference was Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody who is preparing to file legal action on behalf of the state against federal mandates that DeSantis said "will put thousands and thousands of jobs in jeopardy."

"We're going to exhaust every legal avenue we have," DeSantis said.

Of particular concern, he said, is a new ruling that will prevent federal agencies from awarding contracts to businesses that do not mandate that their employees be vaccinated.

Moody will also file suit against the federal government for withholding Medicare and Medicaid funding from hospitals and other health facilities that do not mandate vaccines.

State Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg, was quick to respond to DeSantis' call for a special session.

“Instead of prioritizing our state's economic recovery, Gov. DeSantis is once again playing politics with the health and financial well-being of every Floridian," Diamond said in a statement. "The last thing we need right now is more big government interference that does nothing to address the growing challenges facing the people of our state."

Diamond called DeSantis' announcement a "political stunt that will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars."

“It's wrong, and Floridians deserve so much better. We should be passing legislation that protects small businesses' freedom to implement common-sense public health measures that keep their employees and customers safe – and will put an end to this pandemic," Diamond said.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, who is running against DeSantis for governor, said DeSantis is simply posturing to further his political career.

"DeSantis is wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on legal fights to tout his right-wing credentials for his presidential bid," Crist said in a tweet following the news conference. "And now he's going to waste more money on a 'Soft on COVID' anti-business special session. Everyone sees right through you, Ron."