Bill Overview
Title: No OSHA Authority to Mandate Vaccines Act
Description: This bill specifies that the Department of Labor may not, under its authority to regulate workplace safety and health, require the administration of any drug, vaccine, or other biological product to an employee.
Sponsors: Rep. Hartzler, Vicky [R-MO-4]
Target Audience
Population: Employees globally who are potentially subject to workplace health and safety regulations similar to OSHA
Estimated Size: 164000000
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates workplace safety and health for various sectors, affecting millions of employees globally.
- In 2021, there were approximately 164 million employees in the United States across various sectors, many of whom could be subject to OSHA regulations.
- OSHA's directives impact employees in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and more, which are globally significant as employment categories.
Reasoning
- The policy impacts a significant number of people who are in jobs where OSHA regulations are applicable. However, not all jobs will be directly impacted by the change in vaccine mandate enforcement.
- The policy budget limits the scope of what can be accomplished given the vast number of potentially affected workers (164 million in the United States).
- Interviews should reflect a variety of industries since OSHA's reach spans sectors such as manufacturing, education, healthcare, etc.
- The impact will differ depending on individual beliefs about vaccines, current employer requirements, and sector-specific work culture.
Simulated Interviews
construction worker (Houston, TX)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm relieved that we're not forced to get vaccinated to keep working on site.
- It should be up to the individual, not OSHA.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
software developer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel pretty unaffected by this since my company made vaccines voluntary anyway.
- This policy won't change my everyday life much.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
manufacturing plant manager (Cleveland, OH)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy just shifts the burden of safety decisions to company management.
- We were relying on federal guidance to ensure safety without creating internal conflict.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
nurse (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think healthcare settings need strict vaccination requirements for everyone's safety.
- I worry about the potential increase in exposure risks without mandates.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 6 |
retail worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The mask policy was much more of an inconvenience than vaccine talk.
- Without the mandate, I don't think much will change for us in the store.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
delivery driver (Chicago, IL)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's okay not to enforce vaccines; it's a personal choice for us drivers.
- There's less pressure now to decide on getting the shot just to keep the job.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
teacher (New York, NY)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried about the health risks for both students and staff without mandatory vaccines.
- It changes our school safety plans substantially.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
HR manager (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could complicate our efforts to standardize health measures across locations.
- We need more direct guidance from the federal level.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
restaurant owner (Denver, CO)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a business owner, I'll continue to encourage vaccinations to protect my team and patrons.
- The absence of mandates doesn't change how I approach safety in my restaurant.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
freelancer (Austin, TX)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a freelancer, I'm mostly independent from these policies.
- I'm glad for others who feel less pressure at their workplaces.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $10000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- This policy adjusts federal authority levels without creating large direct cost or savings implications.
- Broader societal health and workforce participation effects may create more substantial indirect fiscal impacts than the administrative changes themselves.
- The bill's impact is predominantly symbolic, reflecting legislative intent to limit federal workplace health mandates.