Vaccine Exemptions
I’m pregnant and my medical exemption was denied, what do I do now?
I’m pregnant and my school is requiring I get a COVID vaccine, should I file a religious or medical exemption?
My objections are philosophical, can I file a religious exemption?
Federal law only allows religious and medical accommodations to COVID vaccine requirements imposed by the government. Check your state’s laws to see if philosophical exemptions are available in other settings, like your child’s school.
What if I file a medical vaccine exemption and it’s denied, can I then file a religious exemption?
You can file a religious exemption at any time, but an employer may argue your religious belief isn’t sincerely held and that you’re only filing a religious exemption because your medical exemption was denied. To alleviate this issue, tell your employer before filing an exemption that you have grounds for both, and ask (preferably in […]
Does my employer have to grant my religious exemption request?
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII), individuals have the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of religion. This law requires employers to make “reasonable accommodations” for an employee’s “sincerely held” religious beliefs if doing so does not impose “undue hardship” on the employer. The Supreme Court has defined “undue hardship” for purposes […]
Can my employer request additional information about my “sincerely held religious beliefs?”
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), under Title VII, “an employer should assume that a request for religious accommodation is based on sincerely held religious beliefs. However, if an employer has an objective basis for questioning either the religious nature or the sincerity of a particular belief, the employer would be justified in […]
What do I do if my kids are fully vaccinated, but I want a religious exemption to the COVID vaccine?
If you’re asked on the form whether your kids have been vaccinated, you could choose to answer the question, or you could say your children’s medical information is private and protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Your request for a religious accommodation is specific to you as an individual, not […]
What do I do if I was vaccinated in the past, but want to request a religious exemption to the COVID vaccine?
Having been vaccinated in the past does not preclude you from requesting a religious exemption to COVID vaccine requirements, but you may need to explain any inconsistencies, differentiate COVID vaccines from other vaccines you’ve had in the past or explain why your views — based on your sincerely held religious beliefs — have changed. Citing […]
Is there a deadline for filing a religious exemption to the COVID vaccine?
Your employer may give you an arbitrary deadline (and impose consequences for failing to meet that deadline), but Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not impose a deadline for requesting a religious accommodation, nor is there any law that restricts the number of time you can apply for a religious accommodation/exemption.