Three Christian ministries have asked the Supreme Court to block the Biden administration's COVID 19 vaccine mandate, which requires all companies with 100 employees or more to get vaccine or take regular testing for coronaviruses. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the mandate in early November, but the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the stay on Friday.
The Sixth Circuit panel decision to end the stay is outrageous and endangers the freedom of all Americans, Kelly Shackelford, president, CEO and chief counsel at First Liberty Institute, said in a statement on the filing. First Liberty is representing the ministries.
In addition to the President's OSHA mandate being clear lawless, few are aware that the takeover of American companies also includes all religious organizations of over 100 employees, according to Shackelford. Our clients are unable to comply with a government mandate that forces them to violate the conscience rights of their employees. The Supreme Court must act, or there will be a Constitutional crisis. First Liberty represents three religious employers, the Daystar Television Network, Answers in Genesis and the American Family Association. First Liberty filed a petition on their behalf on Saturday night.
The petition states that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. The Bible teaches that the right of conscience is sacred and must remain inviolate. Any mandate that forces the organizations to compel their employees to be vaccinated against their will is one that would require them to violate their employees' sacred rights of belief and conscience. The mandate would be implemented by the Labor Department's OSHA. A Labor Department spokeswoman told Fox News that the department was gratified by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to lift the blockade.
The spokesperson said that OSHA can now implement a vital workplace health standard that will protect the health of workers by preventing the spread of the unprecedented virus in the workplace. OSHA will not issue citations for noncompliance with any requirements of the ETS before January 10, to provide employers with sufficient time to come into compliance. The Court refused to block a New York regulation that mandates COVID 19 vaccines for health care workers.