Vaccine mandate arguments, Chicago classes, December jobs report: 5 things to know Friday

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Supreme Court to hear arguments in challenges to Biden vaccine mandates

At a time when the omicron variant is causing COVID-19 infections to soar, the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments Friday in challenges to two federal vaccine requirements covering tens of millions of workers. President Joe Biden's administration unveiled a series of mandates in November, including for large employers, federal contractors and health care workers. All of those rules have been put on hold by courts as lawsuits challenging them are reviewed. The justices thus far have repeatedly turned away challenges to state and local COVID-19 vaccine mandates. But the court's conservatives, which now enjoy a 6-3 majority, have been much more skeptical about the power of federal agencies – all but guaranteeing the Biden administration a tough reception.

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Chicago nixes school for Friday as union debate rages over virus

Leaders in Chicago, the nation's third-largest school district, canceled classes for a third consecutive day as heated negotiations continued with the Chicago Teachers Union over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety measures as the omicron variant has sent case numbers skyrocketing. In a Thursday message to parents, Chicago leaders said classes would be canceled Friday but "in-person learning and activities may be available at a small number of schools" based on how many employees report to work. A small percentage of teachers have continued to come to schools during what the district has labeled an "illegal work stoppage." The district said roughly 10% of about 21,620 teachers came to work Wednesday and by Thursday it was nearly 13%. The Chicago Teachers Union voted Tuesday to pause in-person learning and work remotely until Jan. 18, or until COVID-19 cases fall below a particular threshold. The union is also demanding the district require negative tests from students and staff before returning to school.

East Coast braces for first bomb cyclone of 2022

The East Coast braces for the second major winter storm in five days as a bomb cyclone prepares to strike on Friday. A bomb cyclone is defined as a storm whose central pressure plummets 24 millibars in 24 hours. In and around Washington, D.C., where more than a foot of snow fell in some places Monday, up to 3 inches more snow was forecast for Friday morning. "These back-to-back storms will generate landmark winter weather that requires extra flexibility, particularly as many continue to deal with power outages," said Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. Up to a foot of snow could sweep across parts of Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, if the storm strengthens fast enough, AccuWeather said.

Jobs report: Pre-omicron surge, hiring may have rebounded in December

Inflation continues to surge and new omicron infections are spiking, but America's employers are thought to have kept right on hiring in December on the strength of solid consumer spending. One reason for optimism about the jobs data the government will issue Friday morning is that it wasn't likely affected much by the omicron wave. The hiring figures will reflect the state of the job market for the first half of December, before omicron viral cases spiked. Economists have forecast that employers added 400,000 jobs in December, according to data provider FactSet via the Associated Press. That would mark an increase from just 210,000 jobs in November. The unemployment rate is expected to have fallen from 4.2% to 4.1%, a relatively healthy level. In fact, Friday's employment report will conclude one of the best years for American workers in decades, though it was one that followed 2020 — the job market's worst year since records began in 1939, a consequence of the pandemic recession.

US Figure Skating Championships continue with women's free skate

On Friday, the nation's best figure skaters will continue to compete in the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships – a final, pivotal competition before the Beijing Winter Olympics next month. The women's free skate will air at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Unlike in many other Olympic sports, U.S. Figure Skating selects its Olympians based on their performances over the past two years. So, a top-two or top-three finish this week does not guarantee a spot on Team USA in Beijing. The competition to earn one of the three women's spots on the U.S. Olympic team, which includes two-time national champion Alysa Liu, has been fierce.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vaccine mandate arguments, Chicago classes: 5 things to know Friday