Federal Court Blocks Biden Order Mandating COVID-19 Vaccines for Federal Employees

On Thursday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans struck down President Joe Biden's executive order requiring all federal employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The court argued that the mandate exceeded Biden's authority as president, which is comparable to the authority of a private corporation CEO.

The ruling reversed an earlier decision by a three-judge panel and was written by Judge Andrew Oldham, who had been nominated to the court by former President Donald Trump. Oldham noted that with the injunction in place, case proceedings will resume when both sides evaluate the White House's announcement that the emergency period for COVID-19 will conclude on May 11, 2023.

As it stands, nearly 98% of federal employees have already received their vaccines during this preliminary period — prior to the release of Thursday’s court verdict — but opponents still argue that such a requirement is unconstitutional and violates American workers' rights.