On January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, lifted lower court injunctions that had blocked enforcement in 25 states of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Interim Final Rule requiring healthcare worker vaccinations.
There have been significant developments in the legal challenges brought against the interim final rule of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which requires vaccination of all healthcare workers at CMS-covered facilities throughout the U.S.
On November 29 and 30, 2021, two separate federal district courts issued injunctions blocking enforcement of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services interim final rule requiring healthcare worker vaccinations.
The 2nd Circuit has upheld NY’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, rejecting arguments advanced by healthcare professionals that the mandate’s failure to provide for religious exemptions violated their religious freedoms and should be enjoined.
On November 4, 2021, the Biden administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an interim final rule requiring healthcare worker vaccinations.
With the Delta variant putting residents and staff in long-term care homes at risk of contracting COVID-19, on October 1, 2021, Ontario announced certain mandatory vaccination and randomized testing requirements.
On August 26, 2021, the New York State Department of Health’s Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) approved emergency regulations that institute a broad vaccine mandate for New York healthcare facilities.
On August 18, 2021, New York City amended its law to require contractors and subcontractors to enter into labor peace agreements with labor organizations as a condition to being awarded or renewing a city service contract with NYC agencies.
On August 4, 2021, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will create a rule requiring healthcare workers to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing if they are not vaccinated.
