Lee Health says it will no longer enforce its vaccine mandate for employees.
The health system initially said it would but backtracked Thursday evening.
Lee Health announced that because a federal judge put a stay on President Joe Biden’s mandate, the federal agency that was to enforce it now will not.
Initially, Lee Health had mandated that its 13,000-plus employees be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4.
A federal judge issued a nationwide stay on the mandate meaning it is on hold.
If a federal court lifts the stay, Lee Health will have to decide whether to mandate vaccines again.
“It’s a sticky wicket for both employers and for employees because the employees don’t know exactly what their quote-unquote rights are. And the employers are trying to make sure that they’re not violating,” said Employment Attorney Scott Atwood with Henderson Franklin Law Firm.