Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly says the Biden administration made the “right decision” in temporarily pausing its implementation of a rule that requires large businesses to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine or regular testing.
Ms. Kelly is a Democrat, making her a notable voice in opposition to the emergency temporary standard developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The agency suspended its work on the regulation after an order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, sparking reaction from business groups and politicians this week.
“This is the right decision by OSHA,” Ms. Kelly tweeted late Wednesday. “As I’ve said before, states have been leading the fight against COVID-19 — it’s too late to impose a federal standard, which is why I opposed the Biden Administration’s mandate for private businesses.”
The fight over the OSHA is pivoting to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, but many legal experts believe the fight is destined for the Supreme Court.
The regulation is part of a larger swath of mandates President Biden imposed on federal workers, contractors and health workers, though the OSHA rule reaches into the private sector.
SEE ALSO: OSHA has ‘suspended activities’ related to Biden’s vaccine mandate
As written, the standard would require employers with 100 or more workers to figure out who is unvaccinated and make sure they are tested for the coronavirus at least once a week by Jan. 4 if they refuse the shots.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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