sample religious exemption letter for vaccines massachusetts

State employees who are granted a reasonable accommodation may not be subject to non-disciplinary dismissal, but they may need to follow continued or additional safety requirements to remain employed. It could also mean working from home to avoid interacting with other people. Additional guidance on granting exemptions is 'forthcoming,' according to the guidelines.Ĭan someone who receives an exemption be given different duties with different pay?Īfter an exemption is approved, an employee then goes through a second accommodation process, which determines how well they can be accommodated to continue employment.Įach accommodation is determined by the individual department.įor some, that could mean a new position that sees fewer people but in the same department.

The guidelines encourage agencies to work with their general counsel to assess accommodation requests. The requirement allows for exceptions because of 'a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.' Determining whether to grant the exemption should include consideration of the basis for the claim, the nature of the employee's job responsibilities, and the reasonably foreseeable effects on the agency's operations.

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, led by the White House COVID-19 Response Team, issued guidance for federal employers on vaccination requirements for employees. Much of the exemption process for Biden's mandate for federal employees and large businesses is still being worked out, but it will likely have similar language to Washington's. Will religious exemptions under the federal mandate differ for those applying for religious exemptions to the state vaccine mandate? Similarly, individual private hospitals must approve exemption requests, but it is up to each hospital to determine the best department for handling requests. It largely depends on the sector, but in most cases it is a human resources department.įor state employees, it is the agency's human resources office that works with those requesting exemptions.įor school employees, it is the individual district or employer that is charged with working through exemptions, according to OSPI. Guidance from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instructions encourages employees to submit their request and further information in writing but does not require it.Īccording to the governor's guidance, employers are prohibited from granting exemptions that they know are false or misleading that they know are based on personal preference and not a conflict with a sincerely held belief and without conducting individualized assessment of each request. Sample questions include explaining further how the vaccine conflicts with their beliefs, how long they've had the beliefs and if they have objections to all vaccines. Guidance from the governor's office encourages follow-up questions. It then states the employer will likely need to collect further information, such as explaining further how the vaccine conflicts with their beliefs, how long they've had the beliefs and if they have objections to all other vaccines.ĭo people seeking a religious exemption have to explain their religious beliefs? It also asks them to affirm that they have not received any vaccine or medicine as an adult. The initial request form offered on the governor's website simply asks the employee to assert that they have 'a sincerely held religious belief or religious conviction' that prevents them from receiving a vaccine. However, each has specific guidelines and sample forms they encourage departments to use. In Washington the process to receive a religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine is determined by the individual human resources department of the agency, school district or health care facility. However, some of the same guidelines apply to state workers, educators and health care workers, who all fall under state mandates.ĭo people seeking a religious exemption need a religious leader to sign off on it? In Washington, the exemption approval process is largely left up to individual departments to approve exemptions and provide accommodations, and it could look different for each group.

Sample religious exemption letter for vaccines massachusetts