US Appeals Court Reverses Federal Employee COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court decision to block the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal employees, reversing a previous ruling from a smaller panel of judges. The court ruled that a preliminary nationwide injunction on the vaccine mandate should remain in place while the case proceeds, as the case falls outside the purview of the Civil Service Reform Act. The Biden administration first issued the vaccine mandate in September 2021, ordering all federal employees to get vaccinated or face disciplinary actions, including termination.