Iowa workers fired for refusing COVID vaccine still eligible for unemployment benefits under new bill

Iowa residents terminated from their jobs for not following an employer's vaccine mandate can still receive unemployment benefits under a new law signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on Friday. The state legislature passed the bill a day earlier.

"I am proud to sign this bipartisan piece of legislation today," Reynolds said in a statement Friday. "This is a major step forward in protecting Iowans' freedoms and their abilities to make healthcare decisions based on what's best for themselves and their families. This legislation also gives employees the assurance that they will still receive unemployment benefits despite being fired for standing up for their beliefs."

Along with ensuring unemployment benefits for employees fired for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine, the bill also allows Iowa workers to waive a vaccine mandate from their employer if they provide a statement proving that the vaccine would negatively affect their health or the health of someone who lives with them. If workers in the state submit a statement proving that the vaccine would go against their religion, they could receive a waiver for an employer's vaccine mandate as well.