Officials have announced the State of Iowa will not enforce the federal government’s Covid vaccine mandate for large employers.
State Labor Commissioner Rod Roberts made the announcement in a written statement late Friday. It came shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court heard legal arguments over the requirement that businesses with 100 or more employees ensure workers are vaccinated or regularly tested for Covid.
Roberts said after “closely reviewing” the federal mandate, the State of Iowa has decided not to adopt it. Governor Reynolds issued a statement late Friday, too, saying the vaccine mandate dictates health care decisions and eliminates personal choice.
On Saturday, a top official in the U.S. Labor Department said the Biden Administration fully expects state OSHA officials to enforce the vaccine mandate to protect workers. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the mandate is expected soon, perhaps even this week.