Nationwide Freeze Issued Preventing Federal Government From Enforcing COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate For Federal Contractors

• Published date: 13 December 2021
• Law Firm: Lane Powell
• Author: Mr Jeff (Brecht) Duncan and Katheryn Bradley

A nationwide injunction has been issued, effectively preventing the federal government from requiring certain federal contractors and their subcontractors to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for employees. A U.S. District Court judge based in Georgia issued the ruling in a case brought by seven states and a builders and contractors trade association who challenged whether the federal contractor mandate exceeded President Biden's authority under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act. See Georgia v. Biden, No. 1:21-cv-163 (S.D. Ga. Dec. 7, 2021) (preliminary injunction ruling is found here). The ruling expanded the injunctive relief granted by another court several weeks earlier that applied only to a handful of states. See Kentucky v. Biden, 2021 WL 5587446 (E.D. Ky. Nov. 30, 2021).

In granting a nationwide injunction against the federal contractor vaccine mandate in Georgia v. Biden, the federal district court found that the...