Employees must tell their employer if they are requesting an exception to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement because of a conflict between that requirement and their sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances (also known as a "reasonable accommodation" under Title VII.)
As the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) points out in its October 28, 2021 COVID-19 informal guidance, employees do not need to use any “magic words,” such as “religious accommodation” or “Title VII” when making such a request. "However, they need to notify the employer that there is a conflict between their sincerely held religious beliefs and the employer’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement."
Employers should provide employees and applicants with information about whom to contact, and the procedures to use to request a religious accommodation.
The EEOC has made its own Accommodation Request Form available to the public for employers to use as a template. The template form is attached.
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