President Biden has decided to retreat on vaccine mandates for fear of ruining Christmas for everybody. By so doing, businesses can breathe a much-needed sigh of relief, as the deadline for vaccinations will have massive effects on their operations.
Earlier in September, the president ordered all federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated by December 8. Biden also ordered all businesses with more than 100 employees to ensure all their staff gets the vaccine.
However, these businesses have an option to test their staff weekly if they refuse to take the jab.
US government: *brings in a vaccine mandate that starts on January 4th*
Americans: pic.twitter.com/1xRFbOtBe4
— LibertyDownUnder (@libertydownundr) November 5, 2021
Much-Needed Sigh of Relief
The vaccine mandate has caused many problems since the president announced it in September. First, there has been a shortage of labor across the country, with employers failing to find enough hands to fill positions.
Yet, Biden decided to pile up the misery by enforcing a vaccine mandate. Biden said any federal worker or employee of companies with over 100 staff risks dismissal if they don’t take the vaccine.
With the mandate, employers are poised to lose even more employees, as workers across the country said they wouldn’t be bullied into taking any vaccine.
However, these employers can relax a little, as the president has shifted the deadline for the vaccine to January 4. Besides, the White House first revealed on Monday it is giving federal contractors flexibility on how they choose to handle the vaccine mandate.
The guidance from the White House states these contractors have the freedom to decide what they want to do with their unvaccinated employees.
Biden OFFICIALLY issues vaccine mandate for large employers–start January 4, 2022. Do you think this is Constitutional or wise?
— GreatAmericanMail (@mail_american) November 4, 2021
The change in order is because of fears the vaccine mandate could make companies walk away from their contracts before the holiday season. Besides, the new deadline across the board is due to the administration trying to ease the worry the vaccine deadline would worsen the supply chain crisis.
There was a nationwide concern the December 8 deadline wasn’t a good time, as it will coincide with the year’s busiest shipping and shopping time.
Biden Had No Choice But to Bow to Pressure
President Biden had been adamant about the enforcement of his vaccine mandate. Thankfully, he gave room for reason by bowing to pressure to ease the mandate.
Ever since he announced the vaccine mandate, major business groups and companies have lobbied the administration to rescind the order.
One of the business groups lobbying the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate is the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW). NAW represents more than 30,000 employers across the United States, showing it is a powerful group.
President and CEO of the NAW, Eric Hoplin, sent Biden a letter in October. In the letter, Hoplin asked the president to delay the implementation of his vaccine mandate order. He also asked the president to provide reasonable alternatives which businesses can offer their employees.
Eric Hoplin stated in his letter it would be disastrous if companies terminated the employment of thousands of workers two weeks before Christmas because of the mandate. He added that it would be catastrophic for the supply chain if NAW companies terminated their employees’ jobs over the same order.
The president had a rethink and realized there would be massive problems across the country if the vaccine mandate deadline remains. However, it isn’t enough to push the deadline to January 4. President Biden should scrap his vaccine mandate entirely, as it is causing the country more problems.
