A Texas federal judge has ordered United Airlines not to put unvaccinated workers on unpaid leave. The country is facing a labor shortage fueled by liberal policies giving incentives to Americans who do not work, or return to work since the global coronavirus pandemic.

President Biden ordering companies of 100 or more employees to implement a vaccine mandate is fostering the problem as employees quit or are fired or placed on leave. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman of Fort Worth, Texas extended the ban on United Airlines putting employees on unpaid leave if they did not get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pittman is favoring employees who are suing the airline over the mandate. The restraining order expires on October 26, and the judge warns the agreement will expire before he is able to rule on the merits of the matter.

The result will be “hundreds of workers” at risk of being put on indefinite unpaid leave or forced to get a vaccination, violating medical restrictions or religious or personal beliefs. A United spokeswoman said Wednesday that the company is working with those who are vaccine-exempt on safety measures such as testing, face masks and temporary job reassignments.

United states 2,000 of roughly 67,000 U.S. employees have asked for exemptions from the vaccination. Southwest Airlines has cancelled over 2,500 flights since Friday, leaving many to believe its own vaccine mandate is to blame for the disruption.

Southwest announced on Monday October 4 that it must comply with Biden’s vaccine mandate. The very next day, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) announced it was seeking a temporary restraining order against the mandate. By Friday, SWAPA filed a lawsuit stating “the new vaccine mandate unlawfully imposes new conditions of employment and the new policy threatens termination of any pilot not fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021.”