Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, along with Republican state legislative leaders and the state Personnel Office, have issued an advisory regarding the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors. The advisory urges federal contractors in the state to not investigate employees seeing a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine.
The letter states, “Alabama-based employers, and particularly public university employers, should liberally construe—in favor of the employee—any exemption sought by an employee for medical or religious reasons. In reviewing an employee’s request for a religious exemption, employers should not inquire into the validity of an employee’s religious beliefs, including the motives or reasons for holding the belief.”
The letter was co-signed by State Personnel Department Director Jackie Graham, Mac McCutcheon, Greg Reed, Danny Garrett, Arthur Orr, Steve Clouse, and Greg Albritton.
The letter comes after the University of Alabama and Auburn University said they will require all federal employess to be vaccinated by December 8.
The schools issued a joint statement last week saying, “As federal contractors, and like most higher education institutions, the University of Alabama System campuses – including The University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville – and Auburn University must comply with the executive order and accompanying guidance, unless that executive order is withdrawn or modified.”
“Failure to comply will place our universities in jeopardy of losing hundreds of millions of dollars received through federal contracts and awards, as well as thousands of jobs funded by those dollars.”
Marshall also added that any public university employee that is denied a reasonable request for exemption should contact the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office.
The letter explains, “No employee of a public university in Alabama, nor any employee of Alabama state government, will forfeit their livelihood as a result of the federal government’s flagrant overreach.”
“The Attorney General’s Office, working with the State Personnel Department, will assist in transferring these employees into other public university/state employment,” the letter continued.
Marshall also added that the Attorney General’s Office is preparent a lawsuit to fight the mandate.
Marshall stated on Twitter, “Alabama-based employers should liberally construe – in favor of the employee – any exemption sought by an employee for medical or religious exemptions with regards to vaccine mandates. My office is preparing its lawsuit to challenge the federal government.”
