Starbucks ends its vaccine mandate for employees

 Starbucks will no longer require its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, following a Supreme Court decision to block the Biden administration vaccine mandate for large companies.  

"We respect the Court’s ruling and will comply," Starbucks Chief Operating Officer John Culver wrote in a memo to employees. As a result, Starbucks will not require its U.S. employees to be fully vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

However, the coffee chain still encourages its workers to get vaccinated and boosted. Around 90 percent of Starbucks employees are fully vaccinated, according to the company.

"I want to emphasize that we continue to believe strongly in the spirit and intent of the mandate," Culver added. "Thank you to the more than 90 percent of partners who have already disclosed their vaccination status, and to the vast majority who are now fully vaccinated."

Biden’s vaccine mandate required businesses with more than 100 employees to get their employees fully vaccinated or take a weekly COVID-19 test.

Last week, the Supreme Court’s majority blocked the mandate because they were doubtful that the Biden administration had the legal authority to impose such a mandate. However, the court allowed the mandate’s provision that required compliance from all health care workers to go into effect.