The US Supreme Court is set to hear two challenges against the White House’s nationwide COVID-19 vaccine employment mandates next month, as the nation grapples with a surge of the highly contagious omicron variant.
Justices announced Wednesday that the high court would hear oral arguments against a vaccine-or-testing requirement for big companies and a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers on Jan. 7.
The corporate workplace directive — which impacts some 84 million Americans — is currently in effect across the nation after a federal appeals court had reversed a stay that had blocked it last week. The 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday that legal challenges from businesses, states and other groups against the September order would most likely fail.
President Joe Biden’s mandate to force vaccines on 2 million workers that treat federally funded Medicare and Medicaid patients is blocked in half of the country’s states amid ongoing litigation. His administration asked the court to overrule lower courts that halted the policy in 24 states, after objections from mostly Republican governors. A separate case blocking the order in Texas would not be considered.
The conservative-leaning panel said it would rule swiftly after hearing the objections, in a brief court order.
With Post wires