A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s decision to block President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for federal workers.
US President Biden announced in September 2021 that all federal workers would be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, with few exceptions. However, the mandate has faced legal challenges, and a federal judge in Georgia issued a preliminary injunction in November 2021, blocking its enforcement.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision, ruling that the vaccine mandate for federal workers exceeds the president’s authority. The three-judge panel wrote in their decision that “there is no statute that unambiguously authorizes the president to impose such a requirement” and that “the mandate contravenes the Constitution’s separation of powers principles.”
The ruling means that the mandate cannot be enforced while the legal challenges continue. The Biden administration has argued that the mandate is necessary to protect the health and safety of federal workers and those who come into contact with them and that it is within the president’s authority to issue such a mandate under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).
The decision by the appeals court is a setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to increase vaccination rates across the country, as well as for the federal government’s ability to mandate vaccines for its own employees.
The case is expected to ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court, but it is unclear when that might happen. In the meantime, the Biden administration is likely to continue to face legal challenges to its vaccine mandates for other groups, including private sector employers with more than 100 employees. For the latest News updates and blog, visit Beitragpost