As 2021 turned into 2022, many employers in New York City were dealing with an onslaught of requests from employees for an exemption from the City's mandate, compelling employers to require their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Most of these requests were based on a request for a religious accommodation.

Federal, state, and New York City law all require employers to reasonably accommodate an employee's sincerely held religious beliefs unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. The EEOC published COVID-era guidelines on the interaction of vaccine mandates and requests for religious exemptions:

Generally, under Title VII, an employer should proceed on the assumption that a request for religious accommodation is based on sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, or observances. However, if an employer has an objective basis for questioning either the religious nature or the sincerity of a particular belief, the employer would be justified in making a limited factual inquiry and seeking additional supporting information….