It didn’t take long for the legal tennis match over the federal vaccine mandate to begin between the Biden administration and opposing businesses.
Two days after the federal government revealed details of the plan to require COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing for workers at all large businesses, the mandate was temporarily halted by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Saturday, Nov. 6.
The White House has asked that the pause be lifted until the mandate is litigated, saying any claims of harm are “premature” given the Jan. 4 deadline.
The issue has been presented in six federal courts. Federal rules require those cases be consolidated and heard by one circuit court initially chosen by a lottery. The lottery process is set to happen on or around Nov. 16.
A week after the challenges and responses have been laid out on a national level, Michigan attorneys are trying to make sense of what to tell their clients.
“We are inundated with calls from employees with questions,” employment law attorney Rob Howard said.
Howard, who represents workers in Grand Rapids through Bos & Glazier law firm, said the calls started before the mandate even went into effect. Most calls are regarding employee exemptions, he said.
The federal mandate requires private sector businesses with 100 or more employees to either require vaccination or allow for a vaccinate-or-test policy. Employees can apply for exemptions based on disability or sincerely held religious beliefs.
The option for...
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