That's something I've been pondering over the last few months. What would be the most effective claim for religious exemption.
For example, when claiming religious exemption you absolutely don't want to bring in politics or start explaining how the vaccines are dangerous.
But what about the religious part? The way one youtuber put it, you are already exempt. Employer "granting" you the exemption is just a formality. If approached from that angle, the less you give them the better. Simply declaring that "my sincerely held religious beliefs do not allow me to get the COVID vaccine" should be sufficient.
But then what if the employer tries to dig further into your religious beliefs. What if they start to pry: Do you take Tylenol? Aspirin? Have you ever had a vaccine? In an attempt to trip you up.
By analogy, let's say you broke your leg. You have a cast and rent a wheelchair which you ride to work. There would not be even a discussion whether you can ride the wheelchair around the workplace. But let's say the employer starts asking you something along the lines of: Do you really need that wheelchair? Can't you use crutches? What if you run over someone's foot with your wheelchair? Can you maybe bring it in every other day?
Do you see how ridiculous that would be? That's what they want to do with your religious exemption. It shouldn't fly.
Personally that's my plan. Give them as little info as possible--just enough to claim the religious exemption. If they start fishing for more info then I'll have to think about how to proceed. Keep in mind that freedom of religion is right there in the constitution, the first amendment, and state constitutions have even stronger protections. Your employer DOES NOT get to determine what is and isn't a valid religion. It does not have to be any form of organized religion. You don't need to attend a church. I would even argue that you don't need to be consistent. Who is to say that you didn't have an epiphany yesterday which was the catalyst for your deeply held religious beliefs today?
Religious beliefs have never been questioned before. I thought you give them the first part and nothing else. Hold firm and turn everything back on them over the doubt or needing details.
My God doesn't doubt me he loves me. Nigger!
Yeah, if they give you trouble, you can just reply with
I am exempt according to EEOC rules. Please acknowledge the exemption. Thank you.
regardless of what they send. And if they keep trying, just reply with a variation of the above.
I would just repeat my mantra of religious exemption. "I'll check with my lawyer" might make them back off.
Bluffing is a high risk strategy. While it's always an option, strategically lobbing that grenade in there too early in the process is a mistake. I'd try that only as a last resort if everything else fails.
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