The U.S. Supreme Court justices said the injunction was beyond the authority of the Biden administration.

In addition, they ruled that a more limited vaccine mandate should be imposed on staff at government-funded healthcare facilities.

The Biden administration says the mandates will help fight the pandemic.

U.S. President Joe Biden, whose approval ratings have been declining, expressed dismay at the Supreme Court's decision to "block common-sense lifesaving demands on employees."

He added: "I call on business leaders to immediately join those businesses that have already taken action, including one-third of Fortune 100 companies, in developing vaccination requirements to protect their people, customers and communities."

How big is the threat of Omicron?
As Omicron variant spreads, Biden tightens travel restrictions
The new coronavirus variant strain Omicron spreads globally, what do we already know?
Former U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the Supreme Court's decision, saying the vaccine mandate "would further damage the economy."

"We are proud that the Supreme Court did not back down," he said in a statement. "There is no injunction!"

The Biden administration's workplace vaccine mandate requires employees to get vaccinated against the new coronavirus, or wear masks and get tested for the virus at their own expense every week.

This applies to workplaces with at least 100 employees, affecting about 84 million employees, and is enforced by employers.

The Biden administration says the mandates will help fight the pandemic.
image copyrightDREW ANGERER
image caption,
The Biden administration says the mandates will help fight the pandemic.

Opponents, including several Republican states and some business groups, say the Biden administration has overstepped its authority on the demands. The requirements were introduced last November, prompting immediate legal challenges.

The justices agreed in a 6-3 vote, saying workplace safety rules for large employers are too broad and should not be covered by the Department of Labor's Occupational Health and Safety Administration. Administration) to manage workplace safety.

"Coronavirus can and does spread in homes, schools, during sporting events, and wherever people gather," the Supreme Court's majority wrote.

"This pervasive risk is no different from everyday dangers like crime, air pollution or any infectious disease."

"This is not an 'everyday exercise of federal power,'" they added, "rather, it is a grave violation of the lives and health of a large number of employees."

Go