This bill prohibits Wyoming state government agencies from enforcing federal mandates requiring employers to ensure employees receive COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing. It specifically blocks enforcement until federal regulations are legally confirmed after all court challenges are resolved. The law also appropriates $1 million for the attorney general to challenge federal mandates in court, aiming to protect citizens' rights to make personal health decisions without government coercion. It directly affects Wyoming public entities (like state agencies) and employers subject to federal rules, but does not apply to private businesses.
Wyoming's SF 1001 prohibits most employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. It allows exceptions only for employers who document that vaccination is critical for workplace safety and provide medical/religious exemptions, along with reasonable alternatives like reassignment or testing. Employers violating the law face $100 daily penalties, and must offer severance pay if employees leave due to non-compliant mandates. The bill specifically addresses healthcare employers and creates a program for antibody testing, while citing staffing shortages as its legislative motivation.
Wyoming's SF 1009 limits mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations in workplaces by requiring employers to provide 90 days' notice before implementing such mandates, establish religious/medical exemption processes, and offer reasonable alternatives like reassignment or testing. Employers must pay affected workers 50% of their wages for 13 weeks if they lose jobs due to refusing a vaccine mandate implemented after November 1, 2021. The bill directly affects employers (including healthcare and public accommodations) and employees who decline vaccination under new requirements. It also establishes a legal cause of action for damages related to vaccine-related terminations and amends workers' compensation to presume vaccine injuries are work-related.
SF 1008 prohibits businesses and service providers from denying access or services based on an individual's vaccination status (e.g., refusing entry to unvaccinated people). It bans employers from requiring employee vaccinations and eliminates the requirement for students to receive COVID-19 vaccines to attend school. The bill amends laws to clarify religious exemptions for medical examinations and immunizations, and explicitly prohibits the state health department from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for school attendance. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
HB 1020 prohibits Wyoming public officials and entities from enforcing or implementing federal mandates requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or related preventative treatments (like nasal sprays or pills). It directly affects state/local government employees, elected officials, and public schools or services that might face federal vaccine requirements. Violations would result in misdemeanor charges (up to 1 year in jail, $10 million fine), termination from public employment, and loss of retirement benefits. The bill also allows individuals harmed by such enforcement to sue the public servant responsible.
SF 1016 amends Wyoming's firemen's pension law to halt automatic annual pension increases after January 1, 2022, requiring future legislative approval for any raises. It also mandates that the pension fund shift investments away from fixed-income portfolios to align with other retirement systems, following the "prudent investor" standard. The bill affects current and future firemen retirees receiving pensions under Wyoming's Fire A program. It takes effect immediately upon becoming law, with no automatic increases permitted without new legislative action.
Wyoming's HB 1015 would provide a $1,000 incentive payment to eligible state employees who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by December 31, 2021. It defines "state employee" broadly to include full-time staff across all government branches (executive, legislative, judicial), universities, and public institutions, but excludes elected officials. The bill appropriates $14.72 million from unused federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to cover these payments, distributing amounts to specific state entities like executive agencies, the University of Wyoming, community colleges, and courts. The incentive is explicitly tied to voluntary vaccination efforts during the pandemic, with payments only available to employees continuously employed through the deadline.
HB 1004 prohibits Wyoming employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment or discriminating against employees based on their vaccination status. The bill defines "COVID-19 vaccination status" and creates penalties, including misdemeanor charges (up to 6 months in jail or $750 fine) and potential $500,000 in damages for affected workers. It also amends other laws to ensure employers violating this prohibition cannot claim liability immunity under public health emergency protections. This law directly affects all Wyoming employers with one or more employees and their workers regarding vaccination-related employment decisions.
Wyoming's SF 1006 (inactive since 2021) would require health care facilities, government services, and essential businesses (like pharmacies, grocery stores, and hospitals) to provide reasonable accommodations - such as virtual visits or alternative service methods - for people unable or unwilling to show vaccination proof. It also creates a new personal exemption for schoolchildren to skip required vaccines, while banning employers from making vaccination a job requirement as a form of discrimination. The bill defines "reasonable accommodation" as changes to policies that avoid undue hardship or health risks, and specifies that schools must allow unvaccinated students to attend during outbreaks without counting them as absent. This bill was never introduced in the legislature and remains inactive.
Wyoming's SF 1004 prohibits employers from requiring employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment or discriminating against them based on vaccination status. It applies to all employers and employees in the state, making it illegal to refuse hiring, alter pay, or change working conditions due to vaccination status. Violations carry misdemeanor penalties of up to six months in jail, a $750 fine, or both. Affected employees can also sue for at least $500,000 in damages plus additional relief.
HB 1018 adds a new exception to Wyoming's unemployment eligibility rules, allowing workers who voluntarily quit due to an employer's failure to follow local public health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic to still qualify for benefits. This specifically covers situations where employers didn't comply with measures like vaccination requirements or other pandemic prevention rules authorized under Wyoming law. The bill directly affects workers who left jobs under these circumstances, ensuring they aren't disqualified from benefits they would otherwise lose for "voluntarily leaving without good cause." The law takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
This bill (SF 1005) proposes that Wyoming employers must grant exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employees with religious objections, medical reasons, or proof of prior infection. It requires employers to accept written evidence of these exemptions and mandates that employers pay $5,000 or actual damages if they deny a valid exemption and terminate an employee. The bill also modifies liability protections (in W.S. 35-4-114) to ensure employers cannot claim immunity for violating these exemption requirements. It directly affects Wyoming employers and employees in workplaces with vaccine mandates. The bill was introduced in 2021 but did not advance beyond committee consideration.
