Federal Court Blocks Biden's COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for US Government Workers

A federal appeals court has blocked President Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal employees, upholding a preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in January 2022. The court rejected the government's argument that courts don't have jurisdiction over pre-enforcement challenges to the mandate. The case will now proceed in district court. The mandate required all federal employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or face disciplinary action, including termination, with limited exceptions for religious and medical reasons. Opponents of the mandate say those that requested exemptions faced hostile work environments and negative career impacts.