States Revive Push for Virus Liability Protections for Employers

More than a dozen states at the start of the 2021 legislative season are renewing a push to shield businesses from lawsuits over customers’ or employees’ Covid-19 exposure.

From Florida to Montana, state lawmakers have declared liability protections to be a top priority this year. Republican lawmakers are mostly leading the charge, but in a few cases they’re coordinating with Democratic legislators or governors. If these states enact liability shields, they would join more than a dozen others that did so in 2020.

These state laws broadly shield all or most types of businesses from coronavirus-related liability lawsuits, unless a ...