Procedural Dimensions of Religious Exemptions to Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates: Promoting Clarity, Fairness, and Transparency in Applications

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographics of institutions: Location and type.

Institutions	Location	Type
Institution 1	South	Not-for-profit, a tertiary care teaching hospital
Institution 2	South	Not-for-profit, public teaching hospital
Institution 3	Midwest	Not-for-profit, a network of hospitals
Institution 4	Midwest	Not-for-profit, private teaching hospital
Institution 5	South	Not-for-profit, private teaching hospital
Institution 6	West	Not-for-profit, public teaching hospital
Institution 7	Northeast	Not-for-profit, private teaching hospital
Institution 8	South	Not-for-profit, public non-teaching hospital
Institution 9	Midwest	Not-for-profit, private, Catholic health care system owning hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, etc.
Institution 10	Midwest	Not-for-profit, public teaching hospital
Institution 11	South	Not-for-profit, private teaching hospital
Institution 12	Northeast	Not-for-profit, private teaching hospital
Institution 13	West	Not-for-profit, public teaching hospital
Institution 14	South	Nonprofit, public teaching hospital
Institution 15	Midwest	Nonprofit, public non-teaching hospital
Institution 16	South	Nonprofit, public teaching hospital
Institution 17	South	Nonprofit, private teaching hospital
Institution 18	West	Nonprofit, private, Catholic healthcare system operating hospitals and clinics
Institution 19	Northeast	Nonprofit, private teaching hospital
Institution 20	Midwest	Nonprofit, private teaching hospital
Institution 21	Midwest	Nonprofit, private, integrated health care system operating hospitals and health insurance
Institution 22	Northeast	Nonprofit, private teaching hospital
Institution 23	South	For profit, private, non-teaching health care system
Institution 24	West	Nonprofit, private, non-teaching, community hospital
Institution 25	Midwest	Nonprofit, public, teaching hospital
Institution 26	Midwest	Nonprofit, public, teaching hospital
Institution 27	South	Nonprofit, private, non-teaching hospital
Institution 28	Midwest	Nonprofit, private, teaching hospital
Institution 29	West	Nonprofit, public, non-teaching community hospital
Institution 30	Northeast	Nonprofit, private, teaching health care system operating hospitals and
Institution 31	Northeast	Nonprofit, public, non-teaching, integrated health care system operating hospitals
Institution 32	Midwest	Nonprofit, public, teaching hospital

Table 2. Comparative analysis of religious exemption application processes across 32 institutions.

	a. The number of questions	b. The content of questions	c. The required list of supporting documents	d. The department handling applications	e. The method of access and submission	f. The content of guidelines
Institution 1	4	A, B, E, F	Information about religious scholars (optional)	HR	Fax, email, or mail to EHS	N
Institution 2	4	A, B, D, E	Supplementary document from a religious leader	HR	Email to employee health	N
Institution 3	0			Employee service center (HR)	Submit to the staff member	N
Institution 4	4	A, B, E, N	Supplementary document from a religious leader	Employee service center (HR)	Email to employee service center	I, R
Institution 5	2	A, B		HR	Email to the exemption request
Institution 6	3	A, B, F		HR	Submit to the staff member	I
Institution 7	6	A, B, C, D, E, F	Supplementary document from a religious leader	Not clear	Email to the exemption request email or submit to Dropbox	O, S
Institution 8	0			Not clear	Email to the exemption request email	H, N
Institution 9	4	A, B, C, F		Not clear	Email to the exemption request email address	N, O
Institution 10	2	A, B		HR	Email to the exemption request email address	Q
Institution 11	2	A, B		HR	Submit it to HR
Institution 12	3	A, B, E	Supplementary document from a religious leader	Not clear	Email to the exemption request email address	M
Institution 13	2	A, B		Employee disability management in HR	Posting applications on the Employee Disability Management Services website. Email to exemption request email.	P, Q
Institution 14	2	A, B		DEI office	Fax or mail to the DEI office	Q, R
Institution 15	0			EHS	Email to exemption request email with the notary’s signature (J)	P
Institution 16	4	A, B, C, F		DEI office	Submit it to the DEI office	N, Q
Institution 17	2	A, B		DEI office	Submit to the DEI office website	K, N, Q
Institution 18	3	A, B, E	Supplementary document from a religious leader	HR	Email to the exemption request email	I
Institution 19	2	A, B		EHS	Email to employee health service
Institution 20	3	A, B, C		EHS	Email to employee health	L, O
Institution 21	3	A, B, F		HR	Post it to the HR website or email to HR	L, M
Institution 22	4	A, B, C, F		DEI office	Posting the application on the DEI website
Institution 23	3	A, B, F		HR and/or potential third-party involvement	Submit to HR or email to HR
Institution 24	2	A, B		HR	Submit to HR or email to HR
Institution 25	0			HR	Upload the scanned application with the notary’s signature (J)
Institution 26	2	A, B		Employee health committee	Upload the form to the health committee
Institution 27	2	A, B		HR	Email to HR	G, H
Institution 28	2	A, B		HR	Email to HR
Institution 29	5	A, B, C, D, E	Supplementary document from a religious leader	HR	Email to HR
Institution 30	2	A, B		EHS	Upload to the employee health website	L
Institution 31	2	A, B		EHS	Email to EHS	N, R, S
Institution 32	3	A, B, E	Supplementary document from a religious leader	HR	Email to HR	O

Questions in applications include:

A. “Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs”.

B. “Write all relevant information supporting your exemption request.”

C. Duration of Applicant’s Practice of Their Religion, Belief, or Observance.

D. “Name/Address of Religious Affiliation”.

E. “Contact Person Who Can Provide Supportive information”.

F. “Description of Relevant Doctrines or Practices”.

G. “Explanation of Strongly Held Moral or Ethical Beliefs”.

H. Appeal Process.

I. Consequences for Deliberately Supplying False, Misleading, or Incomplete Information.

J. Notary Signature Requirement.

K. Assurance of Exemption Request without Fear of Retaliation.

L. Involvement of a Multi-disciplinary Panel in the Review Process.

M. Terms for Termination or Compliance within a Specific Time Window, without Creating an Undue Hardship for institution.

N. Regular Testing Requirements for Employees if an Exemption is Granted.

O. History of Receiving immunizations.

P. Educational Materials Explaining the Benefits and Risks of Vaccines.

Q. Involvement of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office in the Review Process.

R. Employer-provided Accommodations if an Exemption is Granted.

S. “Ultimate inquiries about life’s purpose and the nature of existence, particularly for non-theistic, non-Abrahamic beliefs”.