Religious NYC Public Workers Mostly Lose Their Covid Shot Appeal

A group of New York City Department of Education and other public employees claiming religious objections were properly denied injunctions against the city’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate, the Second Circuit ruled Wednesday.

That was partly true because the mandate was officially withdrawn on Feb. 10, 2023, mooting the workers’ claims seeking rescission of the requirement, a unanimous appeals panel said. Other circuits have found mootness established in similar situations in other states, the panel said citing Third, Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, and Ninth circuit decisions.

The workers’ lawsuits were on appeal from separate federal district court decisions. Those ...