The Supreme Court opted not to hear a challenge to Maine’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers Tuesday.
The court turned down a request made on behalf of Maine healthcare workers who had a religious objection to the vaccine mandate, according to Reuters. The court previously rejected a request from the same group in November, and has previously turned down similar cases over vaccine mandates and religious exemptions in states like New York.
SCOTUS rejects challenge to Maine’s health worker vaccine mandate on religious grounds. In Nov, SCOTUS rejected the same plaintiffs, represented by a Christian legal advocacy group. SCOTUS is more open to state, than fed, regs. But SCOTUS one day may require religious op-outs
— Lawrence Gostin (@LawrenceGostin) February 22, 2022
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills implemented the mandate in August, and the healthcare workers, represented by a Christian legal advocacy group, petitioned the legal system for a religious exemption, which was not included in the mandate. The group filed for the Supreme Court to review a lower court’s decision to leave the mandate in place, but at least six of the nine justices on the court opted not to hear the case.
The healthcare workers argued in a court filing that the mandate was discriminatory because it allowed for medical exemptions to the mandate, but not religious ones.
In January, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority blocked President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees. However, the court has been more lenient with state-level mandates. (RELATED: Liberals Push For Court-Packing After SCOTUS Blocks Biden’s OSHA Vaccine Mandate)