by Scott Buttram, publisher
MONTGOMERY — A bill prefiled by Alabama legislators would allow workers to sue employers if job mandated COVID-19 vaccines go wrong.
The bill, HB16, prefiled by representatives Andrew Sorrell, Tommy Hanes and Arnold Mooney would provide a private right of action against an employer for any adverse reaction, injury, temporary or permanent disability, or death of an employee arising from an employer mandate that the employee receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
If the bill passes, an employee could sue the business owner or any company employee with supervision over hiring and payroll if the the worker suffers injury, disability or death from a work mandated vaccine.
The bill was filed on Sept. 1, well before President Joe Biden mandated vaccines for all federal employees, employees of federal contractors and employees of companies with more than 100 employees. The presidential mandate could provide legal cover for those employers. But many Alabama businesses placed a vaccine mandate on employees on their own.
The bill has been assigned to the Alabama House Judiciary Committee.