(Washington) A U.S. federal court on Friday reinstated vaccine liability for employees of large companies that the Biden administration sought to curb the COVID-19 epidemic, which was suspended in another case in early November.
Forcing tens of millions of employees in companies with more than 100 employees into the controversial act to be vaccinated by January 4, under the penalty of having to undergo very routine tests.
Announced in mid-September, it was adopted by the White House in early November and immediately urgently challenged in court, especially in the state of Texas, where Republicans who oppose any vaccine obligation to fight the pandemic are regulated.
The Texas Court of Appeals suspended the action on Nov. 6, pending a review of the merits.
Another New Orleans court of appeal upheld the suspension in mid-November, arguing that vaccination liability “” largely “exceeded US government authority.
“COVID-19 continues to spread, mutate, kill and prevent American employees from returning safely to their work,” Ohio’s Court of Appeals said in a decision Friday. All appeals are to the Judicial Department of Justice.
This decision can still be challenged in the US Supreme Court.
“To protect workers, the OSHA (Federal Agency for Occupational Safety and Health) can and should respond to emerging risks,” adds Justice Jane Stranch.
She noted that OSHA has historically had broad powers to ensure the safety of workers and that “COVID-19 workers – especially those who have not been vaccinated – have demonstrated the greatest risk to their workplace”.
The suspension of vaccine liability was a major setback for Democratic President Joe Biden, who called the move “the best way out of this pandemic.”
“A lot of people have not been vaccinated to get out permanently,” he said.
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