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The Maricopa Community College District suspended its employee vaccine mandate after a federal judge temporarily blocked the coronavirus vaccine requirement for federal contractors last week, The Arizona Republic reported.
The colleges previously required employees starting in early November to submit proof of vaccination or a request for a religious or medical accommodation by Jan. 7. District leaders said they were complying with President Biden’s executive order issued in September, which mandated employees of federal contractors get the vaccine.
When U.S. District Judge R. Stan Baker in Georgia blocked the order, “we just had to make the decision to follow the law and put a pause on enforcement,” district spokesperson Matt Hasson told The Arizona Republic. “If something is determined federally that we can move forward, we’ll do that.”
Hasson said about 6,700 people, roughly 56 percent of district employees, submitted proof of vaccination, and about 600 employees submitted accommodation requests as of last Tuesday.
Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University and Pima Community College also have vaccine requirements in place and have yet to announce a pause.