The Alabama legislature recently passed a law (Act 2021-561) regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and an employee’s right to request an exemption to any COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Under the law, employers may not require any employee to receive a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment without providing the employee the opportunity to be exempted from the vaccination for religious or medical reasons. Employers requiring vaccination as a condition of employment must provide access to a universal exemption request form.
After the form is completed by the employee they are to RETURN IT TO THE EMPLOYER for retention. In the event that the employer does not approve the exemption request, the employee may file for a request for review with an administrative law judge (see link below). The employer will have three business days to provide any pertinent information to the administrative law judge for consideration regarding the employee’s exemption claim.
