A federal appeals court in the United States imposed a stay on Saturday, halting the Biden administration's attempts to enforce COVID-19 vaccination for workers at organizations with at least 100 employees in the United States.
Decision of Three-Judge Panel on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
In a recently published article in The Hill, in granting the stay on Saturday, a three-judge panel on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals highlighted "severe statutory and constitutional problems" with Biden's decision on vaccine mandate. The panel's three justices were all nominated by Republican presidents.
After multiple Republican-led states filed legal challenges to the new regulation, slated to take effect on January 4, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued its verdict. It mandates that workers at organizations with at least 100 employees in the United States be vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested weekly, noting "severe statutory and constitutional" concerns with the requirement.
It is unknown how long legal challenges to the vaccination mandate will take to settle. The regulation is being challenged in court by more than two dozen state attorneys general as well as other groups, according to a published report in Reuters.
Biden's Rule on Vaccine Mandate
Last Monday, the Biden administration published the regulation, officially known as an emergency interim norm. Businesses with 100 or more workers are required to have their staff vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing.
Employers must comply with the obligation by January 4, according to the regulation. Officials predict that 84 million individuals will be affected by the regulation. An employer might be fined up to $13,600 for each infraction of the regulation, according to a report published in VOA News.
Meanwhile, White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that "We think people should not wait. We say, do not wait to take actions that will keep your workplace safe. It is important and critical to do and waiting to get more people vaccinated will lead to more outbreaks and sickness."
Businesses Moving Forward To Implement Vaccine Mandate
Several firms have already begun to impose their vaccination mandates for workers. Still, authorities believe that the mandate would spur even more coronavirus vaccinations, allowing the US to reduce COVID-19 cases and fatalities.
The United States reached the dismal milestone of 750,000 coronavirus fatalities last week. On the other hand, OSHA has the ability under federal law to create a temporary emergency standard if it believes that employees are at "grave risk" and that a rule is required.
White House chief of staff Ron Klain told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he is convinced that the legitimacy of the requirement would be sustained when it is properly adjudicated, not simply a temporary order. He claims that if the government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can urge individuals to wear hard hats on the job and to be cautious around chemicals, it can implement these easy safety precautions.
Related Article : Biden's Vaccine Mandate Faces Legal Challenges, Lawsuits; The Administration Is Confident That the Mandate Can Withstand Against Legal Battle
