The Biden administration’s mandate for federal contractors’ employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 will be halted nationwide amid a series of challenges from states that claim the president overstepped his authority in requiring the shots, according to Bloomberg Law.
The mandate, which was set to take effect Jan. 4, 2022, applies to about one quarter of the U.S. workforce and affects companies that conduct business with the federal government.
A federal judge in Georgia blocked the mandate Dec. 7. The latest order follows a Kentucky federal judge’s grant last week of a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit involving Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.
The government contractor mandate led to a series of federal lawsuits from states seeking to block its implementation, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas. They argue the administration lacks the authority to require vaccinations and the mandates violate the U.S. Constitution.
Additional COVID-19 information and resources for employers are available here.
