State House passes bills to restrict COVID lawsuits

The state House on Wednesday passed a group of bills that would restrict COVID-19 related lawsuits.

The Republican-majority chamber said it’s important to protect businesses during a pandemic they have no control over.

One bill, passed on partisan lines, would limit when a person who contracted COVID-19 could sue a business that led to their infection. Specifically, a person would only be able to sue if their infection caused:

• a hospitalization of at least 24 hours;
• a coronavirus-related condition causing them to miss work for 14 days (not including a 14-day quarantine period); or
• death

It would also protect businesses that manufacture off-brand PPE such as face masks.

Two other bills would make it so businesses are not liable as long as they are following state health guidelines.

A final bill would make employees liable for going to work while sick. It also would protect employees by banning businesses from firing them for refusing to violate COVID-19 guidelines.

The bills now go to the Senate for consideration.

You can read more on MLive.