This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: The Podcast” features Kurt Bauer, president and CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce.
As the state’s Department of Health Services works through records requests regarding information on businesses with COVID-19 outbreaks, WMC is actively opposing the department to make that information public.
While DHS has repeatedly said it has no intention of posting the information on its website, Bauer noted that WMC is concerned about the damage the information could cause to businesses’ reputation.
“This is something our members care deeply about — we have 3,800 members,” Bauer said. “They think it’s very unfair to list them in relationship to employees who may or may not have contracted COVID-19 at the workplace.”
While WMC supports mask wearing and other guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it does not support the mask mandates proposed by Dane County and being discussed by the city of Milwaukee.
“Businesses can require patrons to wear masks right now. It’s certainly a best practice; it’s the smart thing to do,” he said. “We don’t support a mandate.”
Before “Safer at Home ” was taken off of the table by the state Supreme Court, WMC released its own regional reopening plan, “Back to Business.” Bauer says it is still relevant and could be useful come influenza season.
“A one-size-fits-all approach does not work… Yet we shut the entire state down and there’s an economic consequence for doing that,” he said. “I do think that there’s a possibility that there could be some utility for it again as we get back into cold and flu season.”
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
