Faith actors, COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and religious exemption claims

Navigating minority rights in US workplaces

Abstract

This study analyzes how US workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates affected the governance of religious diversity, focusing on requests for religious exemptions by minority faith groups. It finds that vaccine mandates highlighted tensions between public-health goals and religious freedom, particularly for minority religions. The Supreme Court, in Groff v. Dejoy, strengthened accommodation standards by requiring employers to demonstrate a substantial burden before denying religious exemptions. Religious leaders and faith-based actors shaped legal reasoning and facilitated dialogue between employers and employees. Interactive workplace procedures, such as mediation by chaplains or faith actors, could provide fair and culturally sensitive approaches to religious accommodation.