Vaccine Mandate Remains Paused Amid Rehearing Request

Over the weekend, a group challenging the federal employee vaccine mandate in a federal appeals court filed a request asking the full court to reconsider the case.

Last month, a federal appeals court overturned a nationwide injunction against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate that had temporarily prevented its enforcement until May 31. A majority of the three-judge panel concluded that the lower court did not have jurisdiction to consider the challenge to the mandate.

While the court considers the request for rehearing, the injunction against the vaccine mandate remains in effect. This means that agencies are not permitted to enforce the mandate, or to process requests for reasonable accommodation related to the mandate, while the rehearing request is pending.