Responding To Requests For Religious Exemptions To Vaccination Policies

In an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, many employers are implementing vaccination requirements for employees. Vaccination policies are employer specific and vary widely in terms of their particular requirements. In each case, the policy must carefully balance occupational health and safety requirements to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, employee privacy rights and considerations under the applicable human rights legislation. From a human rights perspective, this includes considering accommodations for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to protected grounds of discrimination, such as religious beliefs. In Alberta, section 7 of the Alberta Human Rights Act (RSA 2000, c A-25.5) (the Act), precludes employers from discriminating against individuals on the basis of religious beliefs. Similar human rights legislation exists in each Canadian province and territory, including in Ontario under section 5 of the Human Rights