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A third argument to be made against getting vaccinated is that aborted fetal cell lines were used in the development of the vaccines. "My explanation was that 'Human life is sacred. He represented Rodney Howard Browne, the Tampa pastor arrested for allegedly violating rules amid the coronavirus outbreak. <>19]/P 23 0 R/Pg 311 0 R/S/Link>> Jesuss body was made impure by his crucifixion in fact, thats a considerable part of the point. In addition to the measles outbreaks described above, there have been clusters of other preventable diseases, including: Another problem is that some of these churches do mission work overseas in areas where many of these vaccine-preventable diseases are still very common. To receive an exemption, a worker must participate in their employer's interactive process. First, Pope Francis voiced his opinion (his private opinion) on the moral obligation to get vaccinated in an interview with Italys TG5 news programhardly a case of authoritative, binding papal instruction. It's the gift that God has given me to take care of, Meade said.Aborted fetal cell lines were used to develop or manufacture COVID-19 vaccines, but health leaders say the vaccines themselves do not contain them.As a born-again Christian, one of the reasons our country was founded was so that we could have our First Amendment freedoms, which includes our freedom of religion, Melissa Woodford said.Woodford and other Christians are skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine.In a nationwide Associated Press survey, 40% of white born-again or evangelical Christians said they werent likely to get vaccinated, compared with the 25% of all Americans. Eur J Public Health. 2105 to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with exceptions only as required by law. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 299 0 obj Indeed, some bishops have opted for a heavy-handed, coercive approach, even prohibiting their priests from aiding local Catholics who seek a religious exemption. 305 0 obj DC firefighter explains. The Wall Street Journal. Why beliefs must be sincere to be approved. By Chloe Reichel. Let us be frank: It is deeply troublesome that certain bishops have shown themselves willing to run roughshod over such a bedrock principle of Catholic moral teaching as Catholics right to render a prudential judgment of conscience, especially when it concerns their physical well-being. 309 0 obj WESH 2 Exclusive: Religion and the COVID-19 vaccine. 'd$I: $k 5 of this Note, which asserts: Practical reason makes evident that vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary., A Catholic could also cite the National Catholic Bioethics Conferencea high-level, highly regarded scholarly authority on moral biomedical issueswhich issued its Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates (on August 30, 2021). The paper that is currently being used to print the affidavit for exemptions from immunizations for reasons of conscience has changed. Getting the covid shot won't break their fast during Ramadan and going to a doctor getting medical intervention is not a contradiction to faith that God will heal us. That is the Christian Scientists, a small sect of Christianity who believes in prayerful healing to manage their health. For their choice, each must answer to God. It's the gift that God has given me to take care of, Meade said.Aborted fetal cell lines were used to develop or manufacture COVID-19 vaccines, but health leaders say the vaccines themselves do not contain them. <>23]/P 24 0 R/Pg 311 0 R/S/Link>> Its becoming more common for employers to ask follow-up questions about workers vaccine views in hopes of determining whether their concerns are sincere and based on religious beliefs, rather than political ones. First, there may be . They should highlight that their Catholic faith affirms unequivocally that their rights as parents with respect to overseeing their childrens well-being are, as the Catechism puts it, primordial, inalienable, and fundamental (see CCC 2221 and 2229). The Bible tells you that your body is a temple. 16 0 obj Most commentators agree that the purpose of the letter is to urge unity among the Christians in Corinth. endobj 6eVzL%Z{z#Ld&ZMF)Xq$U @YHeAF X#%=cE]W:"2 QS$AH!RDEGUn'A4F?,05IO8qrrf:()K It is worth considering the implications of Pauls words if they did mean what those seeking exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine take them to mean. Photo by Daniel Shular, dshular@post-dispatch.com . This should give Christians pause. From 2003 to 2007, the number of parents seeking and receiving religious exemptions from vaccination for kindergartners doubled or tripled in 20 of the 28 states where religious and philosophical . <> As a pediatrician, she calls herself "auntie" within the families she serves. Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Court's ruling in the case, Gateway City Church v. Newsom, blocked a county-level ban on church services . Many Catholics currently find themselves faced with a COVID vaccine mandate of one sort or another. The form is also available on the COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement page of TC's Preparedness site. Some Christians claim the various COVID vaccines have a connection to abortion. Quebec rushes to vaccinate against measles in Joliette. Since Gov. For many religious groups, their anti-vaccine views aren't always about religion. Three chapters later, Paul returns to the image of the temple, this time with individual Christians in view. AppendPDF Pro 6.3 Linux 64 bit Aug 30 2019 Library 15.0.4 We witness this most acutely on the cross. . Logically and morally speaking, it does not follow that to say a Catholic can in good conscience take the vaccine means that a different Catholic cannot oppose the vaccine (particularly when mandated). Before the pandemic, such an approach didnt feel that risky, Laycock noted. Furton EJ. ]K !WO{GoX$"@aLT{DY)eXzXCNoWMz8i\V# =QG=1] JHMe(>c!uoA?N#o;w/d0a%d=[pBdLeT=X[B R5dG_j}e,7h*-BXZY, In reality, what those seeking exemptions are arguing is that they believe the vaccine will harm them, and therefore they shouldnt be forced to take it. The Air Force will reverse disciplinary or "adverse" actions taken against members who had requested an exemption from the mandate to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons, the Air . If anyone destroys Gods temple, God will destroy that person (3:16-17). Verywell / Photo illustration by Michela Buttignol / Getty Images. He was arrested in a dramatic fashion for having church. Are There Religious Exemptions to Vaccines? The objectors really do object to vaccination, but their reasons are not religious. This phenomenon isn't rare. But Catholics might find that they cannot rely on their parish priest or their bishop to support them in this endeavor. 2019;177:16-23. doi:10.1016/j.biosystems.2019.01.003, Van Buynder PG. Going to a doctor, getting medical intervention is not a contradiction to faith that God will heal us, Rabbi Sholom Dubov said.Dubov spoke with WESH 2 about his orthodox Jewish faith and the vaccine. <> Religious objectors to COVID-19 vaccines often express concern about the use of fetal cells in their development. 2021-03-06T09:28:23-08:00 BioSystems. Nonetheless, the question I would like to consider is whether a vaccine could, in theory, go against Pauls exhortation in this passage. However, some are claiming they are exempt, based on their religion. Verywell Family's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Definitive pronouncements on such issues lie outside the proper competence of ecclesiastical authorities. 5 0 obj NBC 7 San Diego. Multiple outbreaks of polio among Amish communities, with the latest occurring in 2005, infecting four members of an Amish community in Minnesota. Is it something that you're going to do? Appligent AppendPDF Pro 6.3 <>13]/P 21 0 R/Pg 311 0 R/S/Link>> REQUEST FOR A RELIGIOUS EXCEPTION TO THE COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT Government-wide policy requires all Federal employees as defined in 5 U.S.C. Freedom of religion plays an important role in our society, but it is always in danger of being abused and misused. So far, about 30% of Florida's population is considered fully vaccinated. endobj She provides comprehensive care for children from birth to youngadulthood. vaccination., The research from Vanderbilt University found theological opposition to vaccination only within the Dutch Reformed Church, Christian Scientists, and a handful of faith-healing denominations (Faith Assembly, Faith Tabernacle, the Church of the First Born, and the Endtime Ministries). The answer, it would seem, is that there is a long-standing precedent for exempting religious communities from government mandates, so people have reached for religious exemption as a ready-made solution for their fears. He was arrested in a dramatic fashion for having church and at the time florida didn't have a statewide lockdown charges were ultimately dropped against the pastor. 26 0 obj Should Christians be opposed to vaccination? CBC News. Forty-five states have religious freedom exemptions, including the state of Florida, attorney Mathew Staver said.Staver is with the Central Florida based Liberty Counsel that fights for religious freedom. Rabbi Shalom Dubov spoke to me about his Orthodox jewish faith in the vaccine. endobj To the contrary, most fully support vaccinations. Religious exemptions are not obligated Religious and medical exemptions might provide some people with accommodations to the vaccine mandates, but they are not guaranteed to work. April 9, 2019. Vaccination mandates: The public health imperative and individual rights. True, Pope Francis voiced such a blanket appeal, asserting on one occasion the moral obligation to get one of the COVID vaccines, since, as he suggested, it is about the lives of others. This remark by the Holy Father has been invoked as grounds for denying a religious exemption for those Catholics who request it. The claim should state whether the religious belief or practice against vaccination is held universally and uniformly within that persons religion. endobj I further affirm that these beliefs regarding any immunization or immunizing agent are in line with the tenets of our religious or spiritual faith, teachings, [and] practices.. It is worth repeating that there is no reason to think that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine involves bodily sacrifice. . . In general, company leaders try to find solutions that ensure the worker will not be a direct threat to others, said Alana Genderson, an attorney specializing in labor and employment law at the firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, to NPR. All employers should eliminate any religious exemptions for coronavirus vaccines for Christians, period. The Supreme Court has interpreted undue hardship to mean anything more than a minimal expense, meaning employers dont need a reason anywhere near as strong as what the government needs to deny religious liberty claims, he said. States with religious and philosophical exemptions from school immunization requirements. It has become common for Christians to claim that being forced to take the COVID-19 vaccine is a violation of their religious convictions because their body is a temple, and they are commanded to keep it pure. Paul has something similar in view in his second letter to the Corinthians: let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). endobj And of course, parents can always choose to not send their kids to school. First, objections to vaccine mandates may be seen as political rather than religious. Even though they are clustered in a church or religious group, for many the root cause of their unwillingness to be vaccinated relates to concerns over vaccine safety that drives them to avoid vaccinesand not any real religious doctrine.. Employees may make a request for exemption verbally or in writing. While there are varying opinions about the Covid vaccine, among people of faith, they all seem to come to the same conclusion. Many employers and governments alike have been reluctantto challengereligious exemption claims, Laycock wrote. <> A religious exemption to getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the argument that a person's own religion or beliefs exclude them from having to get the shot. endobj One possible accommodation would be exemption from the vaccination requirement, although other accommodations are possible, as discussed below. The vaccine is made from aborted fetuses. How to Gather at the Holidays When Not Everyone is Vaccinated Against COVID-19, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommendations, How to Keep Your Kids and Family Safe From the Omicron COVID-19 Variant, Yes, You Can Travel With Unvaccinated ChildrenHere's How, Immunization mandates, vaccination coverage, and exemption rates in the United States, Increase in vaccination coverage between subsequent generations of orthodox Protestants in The Netherlands, Texas church is center of measles outbreak, State health officials continue investigation and control of statewide measles outbreak, Assessing measles transmission in the United States following a large outbreak in California, Quebec rushes to vaccinate against measles in Joliette, Outbreaks of the measles in the Dutch Bible Belt and in other places - New prospects for a 1000 year old virus, Large measles outbreak in a religious community in British Columbia, Measles outbreak associated with a church congregation: A study of immunization attitudes of congregation members, The truth about vaccines: A response to our critics, What the worlds religions teach, applied to vaccines and immune globulins, Vaccination mandates: The public health imperative and individual rights, States with religious and philosophical exemptions from school immunization requirements, Health consequences of religious and philosophical exemptions from immunization laws: Individual and societal risk of measles. Should an individual be allowed to claim a religious exemption when leaders of that persons religion support vaccinations as a matter of public health, knowing that the failure to get vaccinated puts that person and many others at risk? What steps should employers, educational institutions, and places of public accommodation be allowed to take when they suspect that a claimed religious belief or practice is not sincerely held but rather is either only recently invented or falsely claimed? At least 2,499 cases occurred in the Dutch "Bible belt" with at least one case of measles encephalitis and one death (a 17-year-old girl). The rise of resources like these as well as the fact that no major religious tradition has spoken out against the COVID-19 vaccine helps explain why many Americans are skeptical of requests for religious exemptions. Public Health Rep. 2008;123(2):126-134. doi:10.1177/003335490812300205. How the military will discourage religious exemptions from its vaccine mandates, How Orrin Hatch protected people of faith, KSL Newsradio is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. 1 0 obj Among the few religions with an absolute objection to vaccines include: Except in Mississippi and West Virginia, members of these churches and other people who have religious beliefs against immunizations can be exempted from school immunization requirements. For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians6:19-20) Here, Paul is repeating a refrain from earlier in this same letter: Do you not know that you are Gods temple and that Gods Spirit dwells in you? (3:16). . Several vaccines for COVID-19 are available, although they are not distributed fairly around the globe. COVID Vaccine Religious Exemption Letters Show Battle of Faith vs. Science Notes from clergy, obtained by THE CITY, range from citing "morality" to erroneous declarations that the vaccine causes COVID. In order to get a COVID vaccination religious exemption, . And at the time, Florida didn't have a statewide lockdown, Staver said. Central Floridas vaccination sites are seeing fewer and fewer people visiting and it's starting to appear that everyone who wants the vaccine is able to get it. The University will provide medical and religious exemptions to this vaccination mandate, as provided for under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofy130, Spaan DH, Ruijs WLM, Hautvast JLA, Tostmann A. 16 (c) To claim an exemption based on COVID-19 immunity, the employee shall . The letters can help bolster claims that religious objections to the vaccine are sincere, The New York Times reported. Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. endobj Go back to the first amendment, the very first freedom is freedom of speech and freedom of the religious exercise, Staver said. But allowing people to assert a religious exemption with no questions asked is an obvious invitation to abuse. The Order allows for two exemptions: (1) the worker is declining vaccination based on sincerely held religious beliefs or (2) the worker is excused from receiving any COVID-19 vaccine due to Qualifying Medical Reasons. James describes such wisdom as first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy (James 3:17). And within the United States, almost half a billion vaccine doses have been administered (485,275,895 vaccine doses administered as of December 23, 2021). Whether to get vaccinated marks, at bottom, a matter of a prudential judgment of conscience. Usually this request will be submitted to someone in HR, but ask your manager who to contact. endobj Several cases of Hib disease, including an unvaccinated 7-month-old who died in Minnesota in 2008 and at least three unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated children in Pennsylvania who died in 2009. Is there a religious right to put the health of others at risk? By Vincent Iannelli, MD 1 Exemption based on religion is one of several reasons parents can claim to avoid giving their children vaccines in certain states. Some people seem . As a born-again Christian, one of the reasons our country was founded was so that we could have our First Amendment freedoms, which includes our freedom of religion, Melissa Woodford said. endobj 78 0 obj Such requests have piled up this fall despite the fact that faith leaders from a variety of traditions support vaccination. At the same time, if our theological beliefs are sacred, then we should be unwilling to let people twist them for political or legal purposes. J Vaccines Vaccin. 2021-03-06T09:28:23-08:00 Normally, those who wish not to get vaccinated can request a religious exemption. If the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a body that has been contaminated by chemicals or debilitated by injury (let alone in a body injected with a safe and effective vaccine), then countless people who have fallen victim to natural or manmade disasters would be bereft of the presence of God. His teaching, advocacy, and scholarship focus on legal skills, international law, and human rights. endobj <> endobj The Bible tells you that your body is a temple. Given that most religions actually support vaccination, when should individuals be allowed to claim religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandates? The claim should also disclose whether and when the person has had other vaccinations and explain why those other vaccinations were acceptable. (See CCC 2295 for the evils of this type of experimentation.). The public interest in public health also means that some additional precautions can be justified even when a claim of religious exemption is found. While it is hard to examine closely, there is no reason to think most, or even a large share, of religious exemption requests to COVID-19 vaccines are from people whose opposition is religious. For example, some believe the vaccine has dangerous side-effects; others think it contains microchips; and some have suggested that it can alter your DNA or cause infertility. So we don't see a conflict between faith and getting the most current medical information. Forty-five states have religious freedom exemptions, including the state of Florida, attorney Mathew Staver said.Staver is with the Central Florida based Liberty Counsel that fights for religious freedom. My body is the temple. It is worth stating unambiguously that there is no evidence that any of these things are true of the available COVID vaccines, beyond some extremely rare and typically mild side-effects. The person must be informed that deliberately making a false statement orally or in writing can involve criminal charges. 1999;24(3). The Corinthians have been drawing lines of separation based on who brought them to the faith. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes, do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? Religion and politics are typically taboo topics in the workplace. My body is the temple. Faith-based organizations have also published guides aimed at helping workers answer questions about religious teachings and vaccines. endobj He represented Rodney Howard Browne, the Tampa pastor arrested for violating rules amid the coronavirus outbreak. 13 0 obj endobj uy#RQS\5Hv&YLxRDjx Vph( GG"e698#z,L4i @DHg5|= /(A Gh-8CGm rQW[zgj i d^ 9ve~hL&d%TUuGmp+i# IoTi.gYOD/HA7u fZNYVjI81hh1s?3:3CA7_E$mPWZXeH!rz|>olps^XW4uN8Zb%z9pT~HD/$3jk+0' EI=18B\'7'3^KBo? $S All District employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. A second, stronger argument is to maintain that, given the worrisome short-term side effects and the unknown long-term effects of all the COVID vaccines, Catholic belief in the sacredness of the body allows the faithful to oppose them. <> The . There is nothing distinctly religious about the fear of bodily harm involved in vaccine hesitancy. endobj So instead of a true religious exemption, these are more of a personal-belief exemption. Let us consider, then, how a Catholic might request a religious exemption from the COVID vaccine. Staver said hes seen many similar legal victories, including in the Supreme Court. Those who are frustrated about religious exemptions may be comforted to know that workers who receive them are rarely treated the same as their vaccinated peers. Our Torah teaches us that while we're obligated to believe in God and to trust that God is the one who heals us, at the same time, we are supposed to reach out to the most available scientific and medical information available, Dubov said. How worried should we be about COVID conspiracies? Malone KM, Hinman AR. As governments and businesses implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates, increasing numbers of people are seeking exemption on religious grounds. The ABCs Religion and Ethics portal is home to religious reporting & analysis, ethical discussion & philosophical discovery, and inspiring stories of faith and belief. Vaccine Support From Religious Groups Although vaccines are required to attend most schools in the United States, with the availability of exemptions, many kids attend without being vaccinated or fully vaccinated. 2022 American Bar Association, all rights reserved. <> In particular, Catholics can cite no. Assessing sincerity is tricky grounds. Because their body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (6:19). 300 0 obj Many Catholics currently find themselves faced with a COVID vaccine mandate of one sort or another. The City of Chicago, for example, requires this affirmation in the form it uses to request a religious exemption from a COVID-19 vaccination for employment with the city: I have met with and provided religious or spiritual counsel to the . Little matter, since such aid is not necessary in requesting a religious exemption. endobj Freedom of faith was woven into the fabric of America by the founding fathers, we are creations of God and we will follow him and we will do as he has called us to do holly meat, is exercising her religious freedom, trusting in God for her health and she doesn't plan to get a coronavirus vaccine. 304 0 obj Vaccines save millions of lives each year. The World Health Organization reports that as of January 2022, there have been more than 300 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 (303,169,398 cases as of January 9, 2022) and more than 5.4 million deaths from COVID-19 (5,479,804 deaths as of January 9, 2022). We don't see a conflict between faith and getting the most current medical information.. In 2017-18, it ranged from 0.7% of kindergarteners in Indiana to 7.5% in Oregon. However, these are intentionally written in such a way as to make exemptions rare because the way vaccines are effective is by their widespread almost universal adoption. These factors could mean a flood of false religious claims. And yet, Paul sees no reason for this to cause strife: We are Gods servants, working together; you are Gods building. Paul and Apollos cooperate in building on the foundation that Christ himself laid. <> 318 0 obj Here's a list of the Comirnaty/Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine . [jA4&dZ{TC}89{cKb5A\b8@ feo>IVm\\`T{D= ]=, My Body, My Temple: The Constitutional Requirement for Religious Exemptions to a COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate. Still, some Christians find this horrifying. As Tobias Winright and Jason Eberl, both professors of health care ethics, have helpfully argued, the suggestion that there are religious or moral grounds for COVID-19 vaccine exemptions. <> Going to a doctor, getting medical intervention is not a contradiction to faith that God will heal us, Rabbi Sholom Dubov said.Dubov spoke with WESH 2 about his orthodox Jewish faith and the vaccine.Our Torah teaches us that while we're obligated to believe in God and to trust that God is the one who heals us, at the same time, we are supposed to reach out to the most available scientific and medical information available, Dubov said. One common refrain among those seeking exemption from vaccination is the assertion, My body is a temple. Paul is repeating a central theme of the New Testament, which is that the purity laws found in the Torah no longer hold for those who are in Christ, because he has fulfilled them (Matthew 5:17). Some members of Dutch Reformed Congregations may decline vaccinations because they interfere with divine providence, but others may accept vaccinations as a gift from God to be used with gratitude. At least three women had babies with. Laycock believes that, under current precedent, employers could make a successful case against offering any religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Since the advent of the COVID-19 vaccines early in 2021, potential religious exemptions to mandatory vaccine requirements have been a challenging legal issue and focus of debate. Without the data of long-term effects as a baseline, and considering that the vaccines utilize novel and as yet minimally tested mRNA gene therapy, its not really possible to give free and informed consent to the vaccine. I affirm that this employee is a member of our religious organization. The mandate is directly affecting my religious beliefs. And thats it, said Brittany Watson, a nurse who received a religious exemption from the health system she works for in Virginia, to NPR. And third, as weve recently seen with medical exemptions in Australia, different levels of government may reach different results when adjudicating the sincerity of a claimed religious exemption. Shaw J, Mader EM, Bennett BE, Vernyi-Kellogg OK, Yang YT, Morley CP. 2015;1. doi:10.1371/currents.outbreaks.b497624d7043b1aecfbfd3dfda3e344a. RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS The guidelines for religious exemptions leave a bit more room for interpretation. South Dakota Gov. Even among the Dutch Orthodox Protestants, there is a subset who describe vaccines "as a gift from God to be used with gratitude" and vaccination rates in these communities have been on the rise. 2013;31(16):2011-2023. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.02.026. Over and above the Catechisms affirmation of the inviolate sanctity of a persons conscience, there is the Note on the Morality of Using Some Anti-COVID Vaccines, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (on December 21, 2020). In California, a megachurch pastor is offering a letter to anyone who checks a box confirming theyre a practicing evangelical Christian, the article noted. Wrestling with the moral tragedy of vaccines, The problem of an ethically compromised COVID-19 vaccine, Christian ethics and the dilemma of triage during a pandemic, Faraday Institute for Science and Religion. people cite religious reasons for their reluctance to receive the shot. Churches that rely on faith healing including small Christian churches such as Church of the First Born, End Time Ministries, Faith Assembly, Faith Tabernacle, and First Century Gospel Church. And dedicated anti-vaccine activists are exploiting these ambiguities to help people get religious exemptions. Immunization mandates, vaccination coverage, and exemption rates in the United States. Is religion a good reason for getting a COVID vaccine exemption? Do mandatory vaccinations violate human rights? doi:10.4172/2157-7560.1000246. Vaccine. endobj ~H\!YH|5_aK@AaCf7_'}RT-RJI~Ld*d]NbG 6cGB :E ??%.`X#WD_&At'AzPH`k. Sometimes, workers will bring a letter from a religious leader to their employer that outlines their beliefs, although such evidence is not required by employment law.