Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Biden’s Vaccine Mandate for Large Businesses

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit late Friday reinstated Biden's proposed vaccine mandate for businesses with at least 100 workers, reversing the ruling from last month that paused implementation of the legislation.

The three-judge panel dismissed the notion that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exceeded its authority, arguing that "OSHA has regulated workplace health and safety, including diseases, for decades." Although this is the second time an appeals court has backed the Biden administration's vaccine requirement, two other appeals courts have doubted the mandate's legality. The mandate, which could go into effect as early as Jan. 4, would require about 80 million workers employed at larger companies to get vaccinated or get tested weekly and wear a mask. The legislation is now inching its way to the Supreme Court, which will have to resolve the partisan debate around the legality of a vaccine mandate. 

Some outlets highlighted messages from business groups that warned "the mandate could lead lots of people to quit their jobs." Most left-rated outlets highlighted voices from the White House and other groups that "welcomed the decision," arguing that a federal vaccine mandate is necessary to end the COVID-19 pandemic in wake of the Omicron variant. Right-rated outlets were more likely to emphasize the "grave statutory and constitutional" issues with OSHA's vaccine mandate.