A Refresher On Religious Accommodation

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many employers received more religious accommodation requests than ever before, with employees citing religious beliefs in support of requests to be excused from mandatory vaccination requirements. Once such requirements ended, religious accommodation issues largely faded into the background for most employers, and accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act have dominated the discourse in the area of workplace accommodations. However, employer religious accommodation requirements have actually broadened since 2020, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court, and employers should not forget these requirements simply because they are no longer at the forefront.