(Reuters) – The court in Texas ruled Friday that President Joe Biden could not require federal employees to become vaccinated from the coronavirus and blocked the U.S. government from disciplining employees who didn't comply.
Mr. Biden issued a purchase requiring about 3.5 million workers to get vaccinated by Nov. 22 barring a spiritual or medical accommodation – or else face discipline or firing.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown said the question was whether Biden could “require millions of federal employees to endure a medical procedure like a condition of their employment. That, under the current state from the law as just recently expressed through the Supreme Court, is really a bridge too far.”
Judge Brown, located in Galveston and appointed by former President Mr . trump, said the federal government could protect public health with less invasive measures, such as masking and social distancing.
The U.S. Department of Justice said hello appeals the ruling.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said 98% of federal workers are vaccinated and have sought medical or religious exemptions. “We are positive about our legal authority,” she said in reaction to the judge’s ruling.
The judge said hello was his knowning that the federal government was going to begin disciplining non-compliant employees imminently.
The ruling may be the latest in a number of court decisions to visit against government vaccine requirements.
In mid-January, the U.S. Top court blocked the president’s COVID-19 vaccination-or-testingmandatefor large businesses, a policy conservative justices deemed an improper imposition on the lives and health of many Americans. The court allowed another federal vaccine requirement of healthcare facilities.
A third major vaccine requirement aimed at employees of federal contractors was blocked by a federal judge in December.
COVID-19 has killed a lot more than 800,000 individuals america in the two-year-long pandemic and has weighed heavily around the economy.
Many large employers such as United Airlines and Tyson Foods Inc. have touted their success in usingmandates to obtain almost all staff vaccinated. The final Court ruling that blocked themandatefor larger businesses prompted some employers, including Starbucks, to abandon vaccine requirements for staff.
