However, Title VII does not protect social, political, or economic views, or personal preferences. Employees may be asked to explain the religious nature of their belief. Employers should not assume an employee’s request is invalid simply because it is based on an unfamiliar religious belief. The EEOC notes that Title VII protects nontraditional religious beliefs which may be unfamiliar to employers. However, if an employer has an objective basis for questioning either the religious nature or the sincerity of a particular belief, the employer can make a limited factual inquiry and seek additional supporting information, including asking for an explanation of how the employee’s religious belief conflicts with the employer’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement. The guidance states employers should assume that a request for religious accommodation is based on a sincerely held religious belief. Does an employer have to accept an employee’s assertion of a religious objection to a COVID-19 vaccination at face value? May the employer ask for additional information? The EEOC recommends that employers provide employees and applicants with information regarding whom to contact and any procedure to use to request a religious accommodation.Īs a best practice, an employer should provide employees and applicants with information about whom to contact, and the procedures (if any) to use, to request a religious accommodation. Although there are no “magic words” employees must use, they need to inform their employer that there is a conflict between their sincerely held religious belief and the employer’s vaccination requirement. Do employees who have a religious objection to receiving a COVID-19 vaccination need to tell their employer? If so, is there specific language that must be used under Title VII?Īccording to the EEOC’s guidance, employees must inform their employer they are requesting an exception to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement. All employers should review and familiarize themselves with this guidance as they continue to face objections and accommodation requests from employees with respect to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The newly added questions are set forth below. Specifically, the EEOC added section L to its prior guidance, which addresses specific questions relating to religious objections. On October 25, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) expanded its prior guidance “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws” to include recommendations for employers who receive religious objections from employees in response to the employer’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. Public Services, Infrastructure, Transportation.
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