US Supreme Court: Biden’s immunization and testing rule halted

The US government wanted to enact a regulation that would require employees of large companies to be vaccinated or tested regularly. Due to problems with the procedure, it cannot now be waived.

The US Supreme Court has stopped a government corona rule. From this week, large companies should ensure that their employees are vaccinated against the corona virus or undergo weekly tests, according to the regulation. Several Republican-governed states had sued.

The regulation should apply to companies with more than 100 employees. More than 80 million people would have been affected in the United States. The court ruling has also put the obligation to wear mouth and nose protection on hold for the time being.

Vaccination obligation for the healthcare system not touched

The regulation should also serve as an incentive for employees to be vaccinated after all. In the US, just under 63 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, and a good third of them have also received a booster shot.

However, the US Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers, which the US government is also striving for. The government has the power to ensure the health and safety of patients. The vaccination requirement covers around 76,000 health facilities and outpatient care services.

Regulation passed without Parliament

With the decision, the Supreme Court objected to the actions of President Joe Biden’s administration. The latter issued the regulation administratively and did not submit it to Parliament.

The conservative majority judges said the US government had never enacted such sweeping legislation, while Congress declined to take such action. “The question before us is not how to respond to the pandemic, but who has the authority to do so,” the judges said. “The answer is clear: Under current law, that power rests with the states and Congress.”

Liberals stand behind the competent authority

The three liberal judges on the Supreme Court, on the other hand, backed the assessment of the health experts in the responsible authority.

In November, a federal appeals court in New Orleans suspended the rule for large companies. Companies and Republican states, among others, had sued against it.