Starbucks suspends vaccine, test requirement after court ruling

(Reuters) — Starbucks Corp. said in a memo sent to workers Tuesday that it has suspended its COVID-19 vaccine-or-test requirement following last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling blocking the Biden administration’s mandate for large employers.

The coffee giant had said earlier this month it would require its around 220,000 U.S. employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing.

In its ruling last week, the Supreme Court said the Biden administration's vaccination-or-testing mandate policy overstepped executive authority.

“We respect the court's ruling and will comply,” Starbucks Chief Operating Officer John Culver wrote in the memo to workers.

The move follows a similar decision from industrial conglomerate General Electric Co.

More than 90% of Starbucks’ workers have already disclosed their vaccination status, with a vast majority fully vaccinated, according to the memo.

Mr. Culver also said in the memo that Starbucks strongly encourages vaccinations and boosters as well as disclosure of vaccination status.

The United States currently leads the world in the daily average number of new deaths reported, accounting for one in every four deaths reported worldwide each day.