The Supreme Court has been asked to consider eight legal challenges against President Joe Biden's Covid-19 vaccine-or-test mandate for all large employers, with a decision not expected until early January, after a federal appeals court put the controversial policy back into effect last week.
People are protesting vaccine mandates in New York City.
Anadolu Agency.
The National Federation of Independent Business, a coalition of Republican-led states, and several manufacturing and packaging companies are among the groups that have asked the Supreme Court to rule on their challenges.
The Supreme Court put their litigation and other lawsuits on the docket Monday, after GOP state leaders asked the court to hear their challenge over the weekend.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn't have the legal authority to impose the rule, which requires all large employers with more than 100 employees to mandate vaccinations or regular Covid-19 tests.
The policy was blocked by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals after they initially sided with the challengers.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday to leave the law in effect after the lawsuit that spurred the ruling was consolidated.
The Biden administration was asked by the Supreme Court to respond by December 30.
OSHA won't start punishing employers if they violate the vaccine-or-test rule until January 10 or February 9 if the court rules in favor of them.
There is a structure called the Tangent.
The vaccine mandate for healthcare workers at facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid is being weighed by the Supreme Court after federal appeals courts blocked the rule from taking effect in more than 20 states. The court wants a response by December 30. The White House mandate for federal contractors has been blocked by a federal judge, but the case has not yet reached the Supreme Court.
The key background.
The private employer mandate is one of four Covid-19 vaccine requirements the Biden administration imposed to encourage vaccinations and curb transmission, along with a federal employee mandate and the rules for federal contractors and healthcare workers. The OSHA rule has spurred widespread opposition, particularly from Republican state leaders, despite the fact that a majority of Americans support the vaccine-or-test rule and many employers have reported high levels of compliance with their vaccine requirements. Several states have implemented new policies to combat vaccine requirements, such as banning vaccine mandates, and Florida has even passed a law to leave OSHA entirely.
The appeals court restored Biden's vaccine-or-test mandate for large employers.
Here is what could happen next if the appeals court allows the employer vaccine-or-test mandate to be repealed.
Here are the most and least supportive of vaccine mandates in the workplace.
Coverage and live updates on the coronaviruses.
