The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has suspended activities related to the implementation and enforcement of its vaccine mandate for larger companies after a stay was reaffirmed by a federal appeals court.
The Biden administration’s emergency temporary standard was issued on Nov. 5. It requires employers with 100 or more workers to ensure their workers are vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing starting Jan. 4.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the rule and reaffirmed its stay a week later.
OSHA said Wednesday that since the court ordered that it “take no steps to implement or enforce” the mandate “until further court order,” the agency “has suspended activities related to the implementation and enforcement” of the requirement “pending future developments in the litigation.”
After the stay, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was selected to decide the rule’s future after multiple lawsuits against the administration were filed in several federal appeals courts.
“OSHA remains confident in its authority to protect workers in emergencies,” the agency said.