TEXT OF HB901

 -Unemployment Insurance – Disqualification Exceptions – COVID-19 Vaccination

Providing that the voluntary resignation of an employee is a valid circumstance for voluntarily leaving work if the employee resigned due to the employer requiring that the employee, as a condition of continued employment, be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the employer fails to provide suitable other work that would not require that the employee be vaccinated against COVID-19; and prohibiting the refusal of an employee to be vaccinated against COVID-19 from being considered gross misconduct, aggravated misconduct, or misconduct.

Read the full bill here

why icm SUPPORTS HB901

• Precedent has been established in other states for workers to be denied unemployment insurance when fired or laid off based on Covid-19 vaccination status.

• Denial of benefits based on Covid-19 vaccination status violates the fundamental social contract upon which receipt of benefits was established. Covid-19 vaccination does not prevent transmission or infection; therefore there is no compelling scientific justification to fire or lay off employees based on vaccination status, nor is there reasonable justification to deny benefits based on vaccination status of a potential recipient of unemployment benefits.

• There is ample documented evidence that vaccination can cause serious adverse reactions and lasting health complications, including death, in some patients. The decision whether to take any vaccine must be a private, voluntary decision between healthcare providers and patients based on the individual risk/benefit profile of each patient. It is scientifically, legally, and morally unjustified to deny unemployment benefits to otherwise eligible recipients based on vaccination status.

Who to contact about HB901

There will be a hearing for HB901 before the Economic Matters Committee on 3/1/22 at 1:00 PM.

URGENT: We’re asking all members to call and email Delegate Cox and the members of Economic Matters Committee and let them know, in your own words, why you support HB901

Cox, Dan410-841-3288 | 301-858-3288Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3288e-mail: dan.cox@house.state.md.us

If you’re a constituent of his – in District 4 – let him know!

Find your district and representatives here!

Please copy and paste the following email addresses of the Economic Matters Committee members into the BCC section of your email in support of HB901:

christopher.adams@house.state.md.us, steven.arentz@house.state.md.us, talmadge.branch@house.state.md.us, Benjamin.Brooks@house.state.md.us, Ned.Carey@house.state.md.us, lorig.charkoudian@house.state.md.us, brian.crosby@house.state.md.us, Diana.Fennell@house.state.md.us, mark.fisher@house.state.md.us, andreafletcher.harrison@house.state.md.us, Seth.Howard@house.state.md.us, rick.impallaria@house.state.md.us, carl.jackson@house.state.md.us, Johnny.Mautz@house.state.md.us, jesse.pippy@house.state.md.us, lily.qi@house.state.md.us, pam.queen@house.state.md.us, mike.rogers@house.state.md.us, veronica.turner@house.state.md.us, kris.valderrama@house.state.md.us, jay.walker@house.state.md.us, courtney.watson@house.state.md.us, ct.wilson@house.state.md.us

Please call the offices of the Economic Matters Committee members in support of HB901:

 Delegate Christopher T. AdamsPhone 410-841-3343 | 301-858-3343 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3343  Delegate Steven J. ArentzPhone 410-841-3543 | 301-858-3543 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3543 Delegate Talmadge BranchPhone 410-841-3398 | 301-858-3398 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3398  Delegate Benjamin BrooksPhone 410-841-3352 | 301-858-3352 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3352 Delegate Ned CareyPhone 410-841-3047 | 301-858-3047 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3047 Delegate Lorig CharkoudianPhone 410-841-3423 | 301-858-3423 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3423 Delegate Brian M. CrosbyPhone 410-841-3227 | 301-858-3227 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3227 Delegate Diana M. FennellPhone 410-841-3478 | 301-858-3478 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3478 Delegate Mark N. FisherPhone 410-841-3231 | 301-858-3231 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3231  Delegate Andrea Fletcher HarrisonPhone 410-841-3919 | 301-858-3919 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3919 Delegate Seth A. HowardPhone 410-841-3439 | 301-858-3439 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3439 Delegate Rick ImpallariaPhone 410-841-3289 | 301-858-3289 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3289 Delegate Carl JacksonPhone 410-841-3766 | 301-858-3766 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3766 Delegate Johnny MautzPhone 410-841-3429 | 301-858-3429 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3429 Delegate Jesse T. PippyPhone 410-841-3118 | 301-858-3118 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3118 Delegate Lily QiPhone 410-841-3090 | 301-858-3090 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3090 Delegate Pam QueenPhone 410-841-3380 | 301-858-3380 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3380  Delegate Mike RogersPhone 410-841-3372 | 301-858-3372 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3372 Delegate Veronica TurnerPhone 410-841-3212 | 301-858-3212 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3212 Delegate Kriselda ValderramaPhone 410-841-3210 | 301-858-3210 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3210 Delegate Jay WalkerPhone 410-841-3581 | 301-858-3581 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3581 Delegate Courtney WatsonPhone 410-841-3077 | 301-858-3077 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3077 Delegate C. T. WilsonPhone 410-841-3325 | 301-858-3325 Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3325

Please note: Rules for submitting written and oral testimony have changed this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, and can be viewed here. We’re asking members for phone calls, emails, and written testimony only at this time.

Please spread the word! Let’s flood the offices of Delegate Cox and the Economic Matters committee members with polite, respectful, forceful emails and phone calls. They need to hear our voices!