SENATE BILL 1567 SUMMARY

• Requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with sincerely held religious beliefs preventing them from taking the COVID-19 vaccination, unless accommodation poses undue hardship and more than de minimus cost to business operations.

• Prohibits employers from inquiring into the truthfulness of employees' religious beliefs and from discriminating against employees regarding employment, wages, or benefits based on vaccination status.

• Establishes a mandatory religious exemption form that employees may use to opt out of employer COVID-19 vaccination mandates, which requires employers to accept completed forms without question.

• Requires employers to keep religious exemption requests confidential and prohibits creation of databases or sharing of exemption requests with other entities except as required by law.

• Authorizes the Department of Health Services to investigate complaints from health care institution employees claiming improper denial of religious exemptions, and requires notification and opportunity to correct noncompliance if violations are found.