Religious Exemptions To Vaccine Mandates Could Be Tested In Supreme Court

CNN: Supreme Court Justices May Have Met A Vaccine Mandate Some Of Them Don't Like
A group of unvaccinated Maine health care workers are asking the Supreme Court to block a state rule that mandates certain health care facilities require their employees to be fully vaccinated, arguing that the requirement violates their religious liberty rights. So far, the justices have declined invitations to strike down vaccine mandates at Indiana University and New York City schools, but the Maine dispute could be different. That's because the workers are making religious claims that could attract some of the justices. (de Vogue, 10/26)

AP: Federal Judge Rejects Bid To Stop Washington Vaccine Mandate
A federal judge in Eastern Washington on Monday denied a bid by firefighters, state troopers and others to halt Washington’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for state workers and emergency responders. A group of workers is suing Gov. Jay Inslee, Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste and others. The workers say their civil rights are being violated by the requirement they get vaccinated to continue in their jobs. The plaintiffs filed a motion for a temporary restraining order, but KXLY reports U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Rice denied the motion. (10/26)

On mandates from states and companies —

CNN: Alabama Governor Instructs State Agencies To Fight Federal Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday signed an executive order directing state executive branch agencies to cooperate with the Alabama attorney general's office as it challenges the Biden administration's Covid-19 vaccine mandates and, when possible, to not comply with the federal effort. "I am adamantly opposed to federal mandates related to the Covid-19 vaccine and adamantly opposed to state mandates related to the Covid-19 vaccine, plain and simple," the Republican governor said in a statement. "As long as I am your governor, the state of Alabama will not force anyone to take a Covid-19 vaccine." (Riess, Sayers and Mizelle, 10/25)

CNBC: Businesses Ask White House To Delay Biden Covid Vaccine Mandate Until After Holidays
Worried that President Joe Biden’s Covid vaccine mandate for private companies could cause a mass exodus of employees, business groups are pleading with the White House to delay the rule until after the holiday season. White House officials at the Office of Management and Budget held dozens of meetings with labor unions, industry lobbyists and private individuals last week as the administration conducts its final review of the mandate, which will require businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure they are vaccinated against Covid or tested weekly for the virus. It is estimated to cover roughly two-thirds of the private sector workforce. (Kimball, 10/25)

The New York Times: New York City Police Union Sues Over Vaccine Mandate
The largest police union in New York City asked a judge on Monday to allow unvaccinated police officers to continue working, despite the city’s recently imposed vaccine mandate, which requires all municipal workers to have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose by Nov. 1. In a lawsuit filed in Staten Island, which is home to many police officers and has a vaccination rate that lags behind the citywide average, the Police Benevolent Association of New York said it opposed a vaccine mandate for police officers that does not allow the option of being tested weekly instead of being vaccinated. (Otterman and Goldenstein, 10/26)

Chicago Tribune: Pritzker Talks With AFSCME Over Vaccine Mandate At An Impasse
Negotiations between Illinois’ largest public employee union and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration will resume through an outside arbitrator after the two sides couldn’t come to terms on an order requiring workers at congregate care facilities to either get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested regularly, Pritzker’s office said Monday. The impasse affects more than 10,000 employees who work in state prisons and juvenile justice facilities and are represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31. An independent arbitrator has been brought in to decide on labor issues stemming from Pritzker’s mandate. (Gorner and Petrella, 10/25)

USA Today: After Auburn Announces Vaccine Requirement, Alabama Gov. Says She Won't Enforce Federal Mandate
In response to Auburn University's recently announced vaccine mandate for all employees, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued an executive order of her own Monday, instructing all state agencies to not enforce the federal vaccine mandate issued by President Joe Biden that applies to companies employing 100 or more people. In a tweet, Ivey said: "The federal government's overreach has given us no other option."  Auburn announced Friday that all university employees have to be vaccinated by Dec. 8. (Durando, 10/26)

The San Diego Union-Times: Student Sues San Diego Unified, Objects To Vaccine Mandate For Religious Reasons
A Scripps Ranch High School student has sued San Diego Unified School District in federal court, arguing that the new student vaccine mandate constitutes religious discrimination. The student, a 16-year-old junior at Scripps Ranch High School, said her religious beliefs prohibit her from taking the vaccine. (Sullivan Brennan, 10/25)

CNBC: Adobe Mandates Vaccines For U.S. Employees By December 8
Software company Adobe told U.S. employees Friday that they have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by Dec. 8 or they will be placed on unpaid leave. In an email to employees viewed by CNBC, Adobe said the policy was due to President Biden’s executive order for federal contractors to have all employees vaccinated. (Kovach, 10/22)

What about incentives? —

Bloomberg: Vaccine Cash Incentives Don't Work, U.S. Study Shows
Financial incentives and other nudges by local governments and employers have failed to increase Covid-19 vaccinations among Americans who are hesitant about getting the shot, a new study shows. What’s more, financial incentives and “negative messages” actually decreased vaccination rates among some groups, underscoring fears about a public backlash, according to the paper circulated by the National Bureau of Economic Research. (Pickert, 10/25)

Raleigh News & Observer: What’s The Best Incentive For A COVID-19 Vaccine?
Guaranteed cash incentives for COVID-19 vaccination slowed the decline in vaccine rates by half at the clinics they were offered, North Carolina researchers concluded in a study published Monday. The study, authored by researchers from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina Central University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, analyzed vaccination rates at select sites in Mecklenburg, Guilford, Rowan and Rockingham counties. (Sessoms, 10/25)