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December 9, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – With the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. expected in the coming days, although an employer can strongly compel their workers to take the jab, there are religious and medical exemptions available to decline a vaccination.  

Under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), employees who do not wish to receive a vaccine due to medical conditions can ask for an exemption. 

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, under Title VII, states that an employer cannot refuse to hire someone based on one’s religious views. 

“It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer – to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin,” reads section 703. 

A 2009 statement from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stated that workers might be made to get certain vaccines, such as the flu shot, as a condition of employment, but even in these circumstances, an exemption can be made.

“It is important to note that employees need to be properly informed of the benefits of the vaccinations. However, although OSHA does not specifically require employees to take the vaccines, an employer may do so,” reads the OSHA ruling from Jordan Barab Acting Assistant Secretary. 

“In that case, an employee who refuses vaccination because of a reasonable belief that he or she has a medical condition that creates a real danger of serious illness or death (such as serious reaction to the vaccine) may be protected under Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 pertaining to whistle blower rights.”

Despite the possibility for an employee to ask for an exemption for medical or religious reasons, some state laws do require that certain vaccines are mandatory in the workplace, although even in these instances exemptions could be made. 

In September, Dorit Reiss, who works as a law professor at the University of California said in an AARP report that although employment in the U.S. is mostly “at will,” meaning employers can set work conditions.  

“Employment in the United States is generally ‘at will,’ which means that your employer can set working conditions,” said Reiss in the AARP report

“Certainly, employers can set health and safety work conditions, with a few limits.”

Currently, there are two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pfizer-BioNTech’s BNT162b2, and Moderna’s mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccines. 

Yesterday, the FDA said that the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, as per the company's earlier claim, is “95% effective” at thwarting COVID-19 infection.

However, according to the FDA, there is a multitude of possible side-effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine, which include strokes, birth defects, auto-immune disease, and Kawasaki disease.

The Pfizer vaccine was approved for use in the U.K. week, but many still have concerns over the possible side-effects and its overall safety. The U.K. government’s own safety guidelines for the Pfizer vaccine indicate that it should not be used by pregnant or breast-feeding mothers and children. No information has been provided as to why these precautions are necessary. In addition the guidelines state that it is unknown what effect the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine will have on fertility.

On Thursday the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will be reviewing both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine on whether or not to approve them for public use in the U.S.

LifeSiteNews has produced an extensive COVID-19 vaccines resources page. View it here.

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