The battle surrounding the federal vaccine mandate continues with the Supreme Court’s ruling yesterday. In a decision that came only days after the January 10th enforcement deadline, the court once more pushed pause on the mandate with one significant exception.
Here is where the federal vaccine or test directive stands at the moment:
- The court put the vaccine or test mandate that was set to impact companies with 100 or more employees on hold. It added that companies do not have to comply while litigation continues.
- The court allowed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to require COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers at Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities. Some non-employees that visit covered facilities are also required to be vaccinated.
- The case is back in the hands of the 6th Circuit court for a final decision on the mandate’s fate.
Although smaller in scope than originally intended, the Supreme Court decision still covers around 10.4 million health care workers in 76,0000 medical facilities nationwide. Everyone else that would have been covered by the original mandate must wait and see what its fate will be at the federal level.
While companies no longer have to comply with the February 9th deadline, it’s important to remember that this decision is on the federal mandate only. Your state, municipality or industry may have vaccination rules in place that you must follow. Your state may also be dealing with court cases regarding vaccination and masking mandates, so it pays to keep a close eye on local news for updates.
Read the official Supreme Court ruling and a statement of OSHA regarding the decision.
The material presented here is educational in nature and is not intended to be, nor should be relied upon, as legal or financial advice. Please consult with an attorney or financial professional for advice.
