November 1, 2021 | CSD Team

On October 25, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces federal laws protecting certain civil rights and classes of protected persons, further updated its guidance in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis on what types of actions or requirements an employer may take to protect the health, welfare, and safety of the workplace – while still complying with federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Civil Rights Act.

These recent updates to EEOC guidance include the following on vaccines and accommodations under federal law for sincerely held religious beliefs:

• Employees and applicants must inform their employers if they seek an exception to an employer’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement due to a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.
• Title VII requires employers to consider requests for religious accommodations but does not protect social, political, or economic views, or personal preferences of employees who seek exceptions to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement.
• Employers that demonstrate “undue hardship” are not required to accommodate an employee’s request for a religious accommodation.

For more details, please view this update on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website.