With the Occupational Safety and Health Administration suspending implementation of COVID-19 vaccination requirements in the workplace effective Nov. 17 because of legal challenges, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, its parishes and schools are doing the same.

“The archdiocese will not be taking further action regarding the OSHA mandate until the courts resolve the legality of the ETS (Emergency Temporary Standard),” Bill Lentsch, chief operating officer, said in a Nov. 18 email to staff at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center in St. Paul. Parishes and schools received a similar notice, Lentsch said.

OSHA said it was waiting for court rulings as at least 34 lawsuits from states, employers and others were consolidated Nov. 16 with the Sixth U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. On Nov. 12, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans ordered that OSHA take no steps to implement or enforce the ETS “until further court order.”

President Biden announced the mandate in September and asked OSHA to draft workplace rules to implement the order, which would mandate that by Jan. 4 every company with 100 or more employees either require they get the COVID-19 vaccine or get tested weekly and wear face masks.

A limited number of parishes in the archdiocese and the Archdiocesan Catholic Center would be impacted by the federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements if they went into effect, archdiocesan officials have said.

Under OSHA’s initial order issued Nov. 4, all provisions of the ETS and its requirements other than testing unvaccinated employees would have to be complied with by Dec. 5. Masking and testing requirements would apply to all unvaccinated employees, even those receiving exemptions.

“I appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these challenging times,” Lentsch said in the email to ACC staff. “I will ensure we keep you posted as we learn more.”