Starbucks Scraps Coronavirus Vaccine, Test Requirements for American Employees

The Starbucks Corporation has scrapped its coronavirus vaccine-or-test requirement for employees in the United States after the Supreme Court ruled against the Biden administration’s mandate.

“We respect the court’s ruling and will comply,” Starbucks Chief Operating Officer John Culver said in a memo to workers, according to Reuters.

The Supreme Court rejected the federal vaccine mandate, which required vaccines or regular testing at companies with over 100 employees, in a 6-3 vote. The Biden administration did not have the authority impose the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) vaccine-or-test rule on companies with more than staffers, a majority of the justices said.

“OSHA has never before imposed such a mandate. Nor has Congress. Indeed, although Congress has enacted significant legislation addressing the COVID–19 pandemic, it has declined to enact any measure similar to what OSHA has promulgated here,” the conservative justices wrote.

The development comes after General Electric Company said it would suspend enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test rules due to the high court’s ruling.

President Joe Biden has since urged businesses to voluntarily implement vaccine and testing restrictions of there own.

“The court has ruled that my administration cannot use the authority granted to it by Congress to require this measure,” the president stated. “But that does not stop me from using my voice as president to advocate for employers to do the right thing to protect Americans’ health and economy.”