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24 Republican state attorneys general threaten to sue President Biden over vaccine mandate

The letter is in opposition to Biden’s recent vaccination mandate ETS, calling it ‘disastrous and counterproductive’

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

September 20, 2021

2 Min Read
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The 24 state attorneys general believe this is an illegal interpretation of the OSHA ETS.Firn / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Joanna Fantozzi

Following President Biden’s address to the nation on Sept. 9 when he put in place emergency vaccine mandates requiring all private employees of 100 -person businesses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested weekly, individual states have vowed to protest the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). On Sept. 16, 24 mainly Republican state attorneys general wrote a letter to the President in opposition to the mandates, threatening to take legal action against what they are calling an illegal usage of the OSHA ETS.

“Your plan is disastrous and counterproductive,” the letter says. “From a policy perspective, this edict is unlikely to win hearts and minds—it will simply drive further skepticism. And at least some Americans will simply leave the job markets instead of complying. This will further strain the already-too-tight labor market, burdening companies and threatening the jobs of those who have received the vaccine.”

The letter also argues that the sweeping mandate does not consider natural immunity from COVID-19 and assumes that a one-size-fits-all approach would work for all employers. But besides criticizing the policy choice of the President, the state attorneys general argue that the mandate itself is illegal and should be challenged in court as over the years the rarely utilized OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard has been often challenged in court.

Related:Answering 11 questions restaurant operators have about the COVID-19 vaccine mandate

The attorneys general argue that for the ETS to be put in place, employees must be exposed to “grave danger.” The grave danger of being hospitalized or dying of COVID-19, the attorneys argue, is supposedly null and void once employees are vaccinated.

They also argue that the ETS rules and procedures require protection from work-related hazards or personal injuries/illnesses “arising out of work situations,” which seems to apply more to direct work-related injuries and exposures, not COVID-19.

“Finally, broadly mandating vaccinations for 80 million Americans simply because they work at a business of a certain size hardly seems necessary to meet any such danger,” the letter reads. “[…] There are less obtrusive means to combat COVID-19 other than requiring vaccinations or COVID-19 testing.”

If President Biden does not walk back his mandate, the attorneys general say they will “Seek every legal option available to hold you accountable and uphold the rule of law.”

The states that signed the letter include the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Related:All employees of 100+ person workplaces must get vaccinated or show weekly COVID tests, White House says

President Biden’s emergency rule is part of the White House’s new COVID-19 action plan which aims to crack down on the large proportion of Americans that remain unvaccinated and continue to expand economic assistance for struggling businesses.

Contact Joanna at [email protected]

Find her on Twitter: @JoannaFantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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