Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19 vaccines are widely available across the country, and some workplaces are now requiring them.
But employees can file a religious exemption, asserting that getting the vaccine would go against their religious beliefs.
But what does an employee need to say or show in order to get that exemption? And does an employer have the right to push back? NHPR asked a lawyer.
All Things Considered host Peter Biello spoke with Olivia Bensinger, an employment lawyer at Shaheen & Gordon, about the rights of both employees and employers when it comes to religious exemptions to the COVID 19 vaccine. Below is a transcript of their conversation.
Peter Biello: So, broadly, what right do workers in New Hampshire have to seek a religious exemption to a workplace policy or mandate?
Olivia Bensinger: So under Title VII, employees have a right to seek a reasonable accommodation for any of their religious beliefs, including for vaccine exemptions. So how that would happen is that the employee would put in a request to the employer, saying, 'I have a sincerely held religious belief that prevents me from doing X. And I would like to request an accommodation.' And the case of COVID vaccines it would be like 'I have a sincerely held religious belief against this COVID vaccine, that something's wrong with it...
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