Topic: Vaccine Exemption

A federal jury in San Francisco awarded six former BART workers over $1 million each after they were fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds. The Pacific Justice Institute represented the workers, successfully arguing that BART failed to provide reasonable accommodations as required by the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Producer Nellie Grossenbacher shares a victory against Rockland County, New York, where 14 families fought for five years after their unvaccinated children were excluded from school during a 2018-2019 measles outbreak. The hosts discuss the long timeline required for legal justice in vaccine-related cases.

A pregnant woman in Raleigh, North Carolina, successfully obtained a vaccine exemption after facing coercion from her employer. The story highlights the difficulty of finding medical professionals willing to sign exemptions and the resilience of parents seeking to protect their unborn children.

Associate Executive Producers are recognized for their contributions, including Renee Sislo, who is seeking a dream job and a vaccine exemption. The hosts encourage her to use recent CDC guideline changes as leverage in her employment negotiations.

A community effort is underway in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to find a "humane OBGYN" for a pregnant woman being forced by her employer to receive a COVID-19 booster. The request highlights the difficulty of finding medical professionals willing to write exemptions or challenge hospital protocols. Additionally, various "No Agenda" meetups are reported from St. Louis, Tucson, and Kansas City, showcasing the show's active listener community.

The state of Colorado removed the requirement for healthcare facilities to maintain weekly testing policies for vaccine-exempt employees. Parkview Medical Center in Pueblo is among the first to implement these new guidelines following the state health department's change. Facilities are still expected to follow general infection control and PPE protocols.

A caller to a podcast claims to have successfully obtained a religious exemption from vaccine mandates by filing as a Satanist. The individual cited the Satanic Temple's tenet that one's own body is inviolable and subject to one's own will alone. The hosts discuss the irony of Satanists receiving exemptions while traditional Christian and Muslim waivers are frequently denied.

The hosts examine a USDA questionnaire for employees seeking religious exemptions from vaccine mandates. The form asks invasive questions about the history of the employee's beliefs and their past use of other vaccines. Legal experts cited on the show argue these questions are illegal and violate established privacy and religious freedom protections.

A Department of Defense contractor, "Molrat," sought advice on navigating the December 8th vaccine mandate deadline for federal employees. The discussion points toward previous show notes containing form letters for religious and medical exemptions. There is hope expressed that the availability of new treatments like Merck's Molnupiravir might eventually provide a legal or policy alternative to mandatory injections.

United Airlines became the first major U.S. carrier to mandate vaccines for all employees, announcing that those with approved religious or medical exemptions will be placed on indefinite unpaid leave. The company stated that customer-facing employees with exemptions will not be allowed in the workplace until the risk of COVID-19 is deemed low enough. This move effectively bypasses the legal requirement for reasonable accommodation.

Sweden has banned travelers from Israel, despite Israel's high vaccination rate, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. In Australia, truck drivers have reportedly blocked major roads into Sydney to protest mandates, leading the government to consider special exemptions for the transport industry.

Catholics are utilizing the instruction "Dignitas Personae" to seek religious exemptions from vaccine mandates, citing the use of aborted fetal cell lines in testing. Meanwhile, some employers are reportedly using "attestation" forms to trick employees into voluntarily disclosing their vaccination status. Despite nursing shortages, some hospitals are refusing to honor these religious exemptions, leading to staff walkouts.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidance stating that employers may legally require COVID-19 vaccinations for employees returning to the workplace. However, exemptions must be granted for sincerely held religious beliefs or disabilities under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Legal experts debate how "sincerity" is determined in a professional or court setting.

California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) issued guidance stating that employers with mandatory vaccination policies must accommodate employees with "sincerely held religious beliefs" or disabilities. This legal framework requires a fact-specific inquiry into the sincerity of an employee's objection. The discussion also addressed personal social dynamics, such as individuals choosing to boycott businesses that enforce mask mandates for the vaccinated.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that all students from six months old through college must receive a flu vaccine by December 31. The mandate applies even to students participating in remote learning. Exemptions are only provided for medical or religious reasons or for those who are homeschooled.

San Francisco authorities investigate Dr. Kenneth Stoller for allegedly granting medical exemptions for vaccinations that do not meet state criteria. The hosts discuss California's Senate Bill 277, which eliminated religious and personal belief exemptions, leaving only medical necessity. They critique Senator Richard Pan's efforts to further restrict these exemptions, specifically for children with compromised immune systems or cancer.

The hosts return to the recorded call with the Arkansas Health Department official. The conversation covers the difficulty of obtaining religious or medical exemptions for children and adults. The official repeatedly tells the caller that individuals do not have the right to deny a vaccination if the government deems it mandatory for public safety, citing long-standing legal precedents.