by Texas Senator Bob Hall
Serving the counties of District 2: Fannin, Delta, Hunt, Hopkins, Rains, Rockwall, Kaufman, Van Zandt, and part of Dallas County
More and more employees across the state of Texas―and our nation―are facing COVID-19 vaccine mandates thrust upon them by their employers.
Being faced with the choice to either take a vaccine you don’t want, or to lose your livelihood, is a position no one should have to make. No one should be compelled or coerced into taking any type of medical treatment as a condition of their employment.
Title VII of the Civil Rights act and Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are both federal laws which require employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees regarding religious beliefs and medical reasons. Though obviously many employers are proceeding with vaccine mandates anyway, it is helpful to know that this precedent does exist in federal law.
Many employers provide an exemption process to those who object to receiving the vaccine. While I cannot give legal advice in my capacity as a legislator, there are some resources, guidance, and information available to individuals who choose to pursue a COVID-19 exemption request process at their place of work. I want to share this in case it is helpful to any individual facing a vaccine mandate from their employer, and if possible, I would recommend that anyone submitting such a request obtain private legal counsel before doing so. Remember to pay extremely close attention to the criteria your employer requires for an exemption process, and document everything for your own records as well.
Some legal organizations have assembled letter templates that may be used to help you write your exemption request. Keep in mind that you will still need to individualize your exemption request, rather than using one of these templates word-for-word.
If you choose to file a religious exemption, keep it simple and straight to the point. Now is not the time to elaborate on your concerns with mRNA technology and its effects on the human body, or anything along that line.
Many individuals are avidly pro-life as a result of their religious beliefs, and it is no secret that the development of COVID-19 vaccines (along with many other vaccines) utilize cell lines from aborted fetuses, and that alone may be enough for many individuals to have a sincere objection to the vaccine. If you are pro-life, this may be a good basis for your religious or conscientious exemption request. If you can obtain a letter from your religious counselor or clergy, this will not hurt you. However, you do not need outside proof or confirmation of your personal beliefs.
Medical exemption requests differ in that they do require outside help from a health professional. You cannot write a medical exemption request on your own. If you have medical concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines, consider speaking with your physician. Some doctors may be willing to help you with your medical exemption if you have a condition or conditions that may make it hazardous for you to take a COVID-19 vaccine, such as heart problems, autoimmune disorders, allergies to certain vaccine ingredients, or even pregnancy, to name a few. If one physician denies your request for help, another physician may still be willing to help you with your medical exemption. You do not have to tell your employer that you spoke with multiple healthcare providers before obtaining what you needed.
If your exemption request is denied, you still have opportunity for recourse if you do so in a timely manner. If your religious exemption request is denied, file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Employees in the private sector typically have 180 days to do this. Federal employees may be limited to 45 days.
Individuals who live in Texas may also want to file an Employment Discrimination Complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission.
Please note that there is no guarantee that using any of this advice will cause your employer to grant your exemption. This is simply information I have come across and want to share with anyone who may find it helpful.
Check out the links below for filing complaints and for more exemption advice and letter templates from legal organizations:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Links to complaint information at bottom of home page)
Texas Workforce Commission Employment Discrimination Complaints
Liberty Counsel (Includes sample letters for students)
First Liberty Institute (Includes military accommodation help)
Alliance Defending Freedom
The bottom line is: This is a defining moment in our American history. If the government or business is allowed to force this experimental medical vaccine procedure on citizens, our God given individual liberty is dead and the Constitution our founding fathers gave us is meaningless.
I cannot tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I would do if I faced the choice of being vaccinated with the experimental COVID-19 drug or losing my job. I would NOT be Vaccinated and I would NOT QUIT my job. I would stand my ground and force them to fire me.
We have to stand and fight this tyrannical action or our grandchildren will never know what it is like to live in the land of liberty.
As Benjamin Franklin said “We and all others who believe in freedom as deeply we do, would rather die fighting on our feet than living on our knees.”