By 1819 News staff
UAB Medicine announced Tuesday it is suspending its vaccine mandate. The announcement came on the same day that Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced yet another injunction granted against the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates.
UAB put a mandate into place in August, requiring employees to get the shot. The hospital then put its mandate on hold until hospital administration could get more information about the pending federal mandates. The hospital offered monetary incentives for those who completed full vaccination.
In the meantime, Marshall continued to fight federal vaccine mandates. He filed three legal challenges, including against the federal-contractor vaccine mandate on October 29, against the private-employer vaccine mandate on November 5, and against the healthcare-worker vaccine mandate on November 15. All three mandates have now been blocked nationwide by federal courts.
"As a result, UAB’s vaccine requirement is suspended," UAB stated in an official letter to employees. "At this time, UAB will not be required to take action regarding unvaccinated employees on Jan. 4."
Tuesday, Marshall announced the federal contractor mandate was blocked.
“Today’s ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia places a nationwide injunction on President Biden’s federal-contractor vaccine mandate and represents the third victory by Alabama and a coalition of states to block enforcement of the President’s tyrannical dictates,” said Marshall.
In September, the Alabama Hospital Association reported 50% to 80% of hospital employees across the state were already vaccinated and that it would be up to each hospital to make a decision on whether to require employees to be vaccinated.
UAB Medicine said it would monitor the legal developments and would provide further guidance to employees as they learn more.
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