health

Supreme Court rejects legal battle over New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers

Updated on: June 29, 2026 / 11:19 AM EDT / CBS News

Supreme Court rejects legal battle over New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers

TL;DR

  • The Supreme Court has refused to hear a legal challenge to New York's repealed COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
  • The case involved employees who sought religious exemptions from the vaccine requirement and were subsequently fired.
  • Workers argued that their employers' rejection of religious accommodations violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
  • New York officials and healthcare facilities stated the mandate allowed for accommodations, though not necessarily complete exemptions.
  • The mandate was repealed in October 2023 after the federal public health emergency ended.