Missouri businesses seek to set own vaccination policies

Hundreds of employers across the state have joined with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, co-signing a letter urging lawmakers to grant individual business the right to set their own workplace vaccination policies. The letter counters overriding state government proposals.

Lawmakers are prepping for hearings on the anti-business proposals allowing the state to override policies set by Missouri private employers. The dominating message from those opposed to government encroachment is, “let business decide,” a message which the Missouri Chamber has written on their website. 

Alongside the Missouri Chamber, the Associated Industries of Missouri, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce having also vocalized opposition to government mandates, regardless of whether or not they would require a COVID-19 vaccine.

“Our stance on this is really simple: Let business decide. These are business decisions. Every employer is different,” the Missouri Chamber’s Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Kara Corches, said.

Some business groups and GOP lawmakers have said that implementing mandates, regardless of whether they support a vaccine or not, would limit options for businesses at a time staffing has become a struggle.

“The folks that own these businesses, they put their life and their soul and their finances into that,” said Shannon Cooper, who spoke on behalf of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. “They’re going to make the best decisions for their employees, whether they want them all to be vaccinated, whether they don’t want them to be vaccinated or whether they don’t care.”