OSHA says it will temporarily not enforce COVID-19 vaccine mandate

(Gray News) - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is following the stay issued by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, it said on its website, and is temporarily not enforcing the COVID-19 federal vaccine mandate on private employers.

The stay was issued by the appeals court on Friday.

The court ordered that OSHA “take no steps to implement or enforce” the mandate “until further court order.”

The vaccine mandate calls for businesses with more than 100 workers to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 or wear masks and be tested weekly.

“While OSHA remains confident in its authority to protect workers in emergencies, OSHA has suspended activities related to the implementation and enforcement of the (emergency temporary standard) pending future developments in the litigation,” OSHA said.

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, a panel dominated by judges appointed by Republicans, was chosen Tuesday to hear the challenge by 27 Republican-led states, employers and several conservative and business organizations to OSHA’s authority to mandate vaccines.

Copyright 2021 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.