Washington, Nov 13 (TIWN) A US appeals court has upheld its stay on President Joe Biden's vaccine-or-test mandate for companies with at least 100 employees.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld the ruling despite the Biden administration saying on Monday that halting implementation of the rule could lead to the deaths of dozens or even hundreds of workers.

The government has been sued by private employers, religious organizations and U.S. states saying it was exceeding its authority.  The rule was issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and mandates that businesses with at least 100 employees require staff get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly and wear a mask.