Requesting a Religious Exemption to Your Employer’s
COVID Vaccine Mandate
by Christian, civil trial attorney, RL Johnson
Christian employees considering requesting an accommodation from a vaccine requirement due to religious beliefs should familiarized themselves with their legal rights. While I get into the weeds quite a bit here, having consulted and advised many people on this issue, I have found getting into the weeds unavoidable.
“The term ‘"religion"’ includes all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employee's or prospective employee's religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's business.” 42 U.S.C. §2000e(j)
Since the COVID-19 vaccine became readily available, many public and private employers have institutes vaccine mandates to which some Christians have objected on the ground that the vaccine violates their sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, or practices.