COVID may feel like a thing of the past, but its legal fallout continues. A Pennsylvania school worker’s religious accommodation claim from the pandemic years just failed in court — a reminder that these disputes are still playing out.
Gregory Bingham worked for the Philadelphia School District as a special education classroom assistant beginning in January 2015. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the district generally required all school personnel to be vaccinated, but it allowed employees to request exemptions from the requirement for medical or religious purposes.
The district granted Bingham a religious exemption to the vaccination requirement. But when he was exposed to someone at work who tested positive, the district required him to quarantine for 10 days — or eight if he tested negative after five days and had no symptoms.
When he got that news, Bingham announced to his school that he would be working from home. His principal nixed that idea, telling him remote work was not an option and that he was free to seek an alternate accommodation. Bingham did not do so. Instead, he ignored that instruction and worked from home anyway.
During the 10-day quarantine period, Bingham interviewed for — and accepted — a school counselor position with a different employer.
He also submitted his resignation to the Philadelphia School District and started his new job....
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