A federal judge has extended a prohibition on United Airlines placing employees on unpaid leave for requesting a medical or religious exemption from the airline’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate.

Employees who are suing the airline over the demand were given a restraining order by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman in Fort Worth, Texas, on Tuesday.

Last month, attorneys representing the employees and United agreed that the workers would not be placed on unpaid leave, but the court stated that the arrangement would expire before he could rule on the merits of the case. As a result, “hundreds of workers” might be placed on indefinite unpaid leave or compelled to receive a vaccine that goes against their religious views or medical limitations.

The restraining order is set to expire on October 26.

The employees who are suing are attempting to transform the case into a class-action suit. Approximately 2,000 of United’s 67,000 U.S. employees requested vaccine exemptions, according to the company.

According to a United spokesman, the firm is working with vaccine-exempt workers on safety measures like as testing, face masks, and temporary job relocation.