RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, Luke Farley, the conservative Republican candidate for N.C. Labor Commissioner, announced his opposition to new COVID workplace mandates being considered by the N.C. Labor Department.
Pressured by a coalition of labor unions and liberal special interests, the N.C. Labor Department granted a petition for rulemaking to create new COVID mandates for the workplace. Among other things, the new rules would include a mask mandate, social distancing, paid time off for anyone who wants to get the COVID vaccine, and a requirement to kick workers off the job if they show symptoms of COVID. The proposed rule was published in the N.C. Register on January 2, 2024 (pages 833-843).
GOP Labor Commissioner candidate Luke Farley offered the following comments:
“Didn’t we learn anything from big government’s first shutdown of our schools and businesses? We don’t need any new COVID workplace mandates. On my first day as Labor Commissioner, I’ll immediately start working to repeal any new mandates that are imposed. The last time we had mandates and lockdowns, it was a disaster for our economy and students. As Labor Commissioner, I’ll fight against any attempt to bring back those failed policies.”
Farley favors a commonsense approach to workplace illnesses that respects medical freedom. “If you feel sick, don’t go to work. It’s that simple. We don’t need a bunch of burdensome new regulations to address a commonsense problem,” Farley said, “Mandates are about controlling our lives, our schools, and our businesses. We’ve had enough.”
Luke Farley, an OSHA lawyer in private practice, is a passionate advocate for medical freedom and commonsense conservative regulation. He’s running to protect workers without bankrupting businesses in the process and has been endorsed by former Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, the longest serving commissioner in N.C. history.