U.S.
states require children to receive certain vaccines before attending
school, typically adopting the CDC’s childhood vaccine schedule (which
has risen from 5 doses by age 18 in 1962 to as many as 96+ doses today).
However, all states allow medical exemptions, and most states also
provide exemptions for families who decline immunization for non-medical
reasons.
These exemptions typically fall into two categories:
• Religious, for families whose faith opposes vaccination
• Philosophical or personal belief exemptions, for those who object based on moral or other personal grounds
The
availability and requirements for these exemptions vary by state, with
some enforcing stricter rules, such as educational counseling or
notarized documentation, while others offer more flexibility.
Currently,
five states – New York, Maine, Connecticut, West Virginia, and
California – do not allow for either religious or philosophical
exemptions. While these states do provide medical exemptions, proving
the need for these can be daunting and doctors who provide them often
face retribution from government officials and state medical boards.
https://www.ncsl.org/health/state-non-medical-exemptions-from-school-immunization-requirements
https://www.vaccinesafety.edu/vaccine-exemptions/
https://www.nvic.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions/vaccine-exemptions
https://www.nvic.org/law-policy-state
For
assistance in applying for a religious exemption, the Pacific Justice
Institute provide these instructions
https://mcusercontent.com/7ae92b22d7cde57869dcb871a/files/570ab475-982c-d6fd-18ff-aeb1535da4ee/Religious_Accommodation_for_Employees_08_25_21.02.pdf
about the process.
If your application has been denied, the Institute
also provides these instructions
https://mcusercontent.com/7ae92b22d7cde57869dcb871a/files/02ffa966-c7f4-f682-70c4-b2a914fd59e8/Religious_Exemption_Denial_Steps_revised_12_06_21.pdf
about what to do next, along with links to the relevant employment
discrimination agencies in every state
Thanks to Childrens Health Defense for the above information.
https://childrenshealthdefense.org