KHN Morning Briefing – Roll Call reports that military officials may be reversing plans to immediately fire unvaccinated troops once deadlines pass. Separately, a district court judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday that prevents both civilian and active-duty military plaintiffs from being terminated after they sued the Biden administration over religious exemptions to covid-19 vaccines.
Roll Call: Pentagon May Not Immediately Fire Vaccine Resisters
Facing criticism that mandates for coronavirus vaccinations could force the Defense Department to fire thousands of civilians, contractors and troops, the Biden administration is signaling that vaccine resisters may get more time to comply.
President Joe Biden and administration officials have previously said Pentagon employees and contractors have to be vaccinated or face termination on a series of upcoming deadlines. … Three administration officials in the last couple of days have described the deadlines not as the dates when an axe will fall but rather as the start of an education process designed to convince those who are resisting vaccination to reverse course. (Donnelly, 10/29)
The Washington Post: Air Force Is First To Face Troops’ Rejection Of Vaccine Mandate As Thousands Avoid Shots
Up to 12,000 Air Force personnel have rejected orders to get fully vaccinated against the coronavirus despite a Pentagon mandate, and officials say it is too late for them to do so by the Tuesday deadline, posing the first major test for military leaders whose August directive has been met with defiance among a segment of the force. The vast majority of active-duty airmen, more than 96 percent, are at least partially vaccinated, according to data from the Air Force. (Horton, 10/28)
Fox News: Biden Admin Barred From Firing Unvaccinated Employees After DC Judge Issues Injunction
A Washington, D.C., district court judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday that prevents both civilian and active-duty military plaintiffs from being terminated after they sued the Biden administration over religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccines.
“None of the civilian employee plaintiffs will be subject to discipline while his or her request for a religious exception is pending,” District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered, according to a Minute Order obtained by Fox News. The judge also ruled that “active duty military plaintiffs, whose religious exception requests have been denied, will not be disciplined or separated during the pendency of their appeals.” (Brown, 10/28)
And from the private sector —
Bloomberg: Biden Vaccine Mandate Will Let Employers Make Workers Pay For Covid Tests
The Biden administration’s highly anticipated vaccine mandate rule for private-sector employers will allow businesses to force workers who refuse to get the Covid-19 shot to pay for required weekly tests and masks, two sources familiar with the matter said. The emergency rule, which will apply to companies with at least 100 employees and is expected to be released next week, will give employers the option of paying for testing and masks for unvaccinated workers or compelling those employees to foot the bill themselves, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because they didn’t have approval to discuss the rulemaking. (Penn, 10/28)
USA Today: As Biden Vaccine Mandates Loom, Protests For Personal Freedoms Swell
Across the nation, employers, government officials, health care workers and other Americans are continuing to push back against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, even as the death toll has climbed to more than 740,000 people. With the Biden administration preparing to enforce nationwide vaccine mandates, they are marching in the street in protest, resigning in mass and demonstrating outside government buildings. (Hughes, 10/29)
CBS News: Citigroup To Require U.S. Employees Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19
Citigroup will require all of its U.S. workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, the nation’s third-biggest bank said Thursday. Given the U.S. government is a large client, Citi has an “obligation” to comply with an executive order from the White House requiring that employees supporting government contracts be vaccinated, Sara Wechter, head of human resources at the financial giant, wrote on LinkedIn on Thursday. (Gibson, 10/28)
