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| Mark Mulville/Buffalo News |
New York's Covid-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers – which doesn't include an exemption for those with religious objections – will continue in place thanks to the Supreme Court's decision on Thursday to not hear an appeal challenging the requirement.
Six justices denied the appeal without comment, but three conservative justices – Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito and Neil Gorsuch – all argued that the court should hear the case and consider whether the mandate should include a religious exemption.
The court decision comes as no surprise, given that the justices in December turned down an emergency request from health care workers who argued the mandate impinged upon their religious freedom.
In refusing to hear the case, the Supreme Court tacitly agreed with State Attorney General Letitia James and other lawyers for the state, who argued in a brief filed with the court that there's no legal precedent mandating a religious exemption to the vaccine mandate, even though the state did establish an exemption for medical personnel who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons. --->READ MORE HERE
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| AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File |
Over the objection of three justices, the Supreme Court on Thursday left in place New York’s coronavirus vaccine requirement for health-care workers that does not include a religious exemption.
The court’s action came on the final day of the term, as the justices also announced which cases they will review when the court reconvenes in October. Notably, they declined to take additional cases concerning significant rulings this month to eliminate the nationwide right to abortion and expand the right to carry firearms in public. Instead, the justices returned to lower courts more than a half-dozen related matters and instructed those judges to look again at their rulings on the basis of the Supreme Court’s new guidance.
In the New York vaccination case, the court had rejected in December an emergency request from doctors, nurses and other medical workers who said they were being forced to choose between their livelihoods and their faith. They said they should receive a religious exemption because the state’s rule allows one for those who decline the vaccine for medical reasons.
While the majority at the time did not give a reason for rejecting the emergency applications, three justices said they were eager to decide the merits of such a case. The court also had denied a similar request from health-care workers in Maine.
The same three justices - Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito - objected Thursday to the court’s refusal to review the New York requirement that includes a medical exemption but no exception for religious objectors. --->READ MORE HEREFollow links below to relevant/related stories and resources:
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