The Dreaded Vaccine Mandate Has Come To My Company - Need Suggestions on Exemption Letter

[SamAdams76]

I can retire but I'm still too young to retire. Still 8 years away from FRA on Social Security, still months away from being able to tap into my 401k without penalty. But all my retirement planning has centered around retiring in my mid 60s - not the young age of 59!

So still got 5-10 years in the tank so far as my career is concerned. I'm at the top of my game and at my top earning potential. So I'd hate to give up over a million dollars in future earnings all because of some silly government mandate for a vaccine that I absolutely do not need and do not believe in.

So I'm asking for Freeper help in contructing a letter asking for an exemption to this absolutely insane and unwarranted mandate.

According to the edict put out by my company, all employees must be vaccinated by mid-December or face termination of employment. There are two possible paths for exemption: Medical and Religious.

A medical exemption is out of the question because I have been in perfect health my entire life. Not even a prescription other than a 2-week antibiotic I was given for a sinus infection back in the 1990s. Decades before COVID, I was taking vitamins C, D3 and zinc daily. For the past 20 years, I've been eating almost nothing but natural foods, recently adding raw honeycomb to my diet (to put in my whole-fat yogurt).

Over 30 years at this company and not a single sick day! I have probably the most perfect immune system one could want for. So why would I want to take a vaccine that I don't need and that might compromise that immune system?

I respect the decisions of those who decided to get the vaccines, everybody's situation is different, but I feel that I do not need it for myself and that it could only do me harm.

So my only option here is to seek a religious exemption.

Now I've been a lifelong Christian but I wish I could say I'm a perfect Christian, going to church every Sunday and Bible Study on Wednesday nights. But I skip church way more than I go to it. Mainly because I see the clergy as flawed human beings like myself. For example, during this pandemic, they have had a mask mandate at the church my wife and I belong to and the pastor himself has encouraged his congregation to take the vaccine. So cannot abide by that and cannot ask my pastor to sponsor me in my religious exemption request.

But that is the only avenue I have and I owe the Human Resources a letter stating my desire for a religious exemption. Otherwise, I need to either get the vaccine or face termination of employment less than two months from now. Unless I can obtain an exemption on religious grounds.

I only have one shot at this and so I need to get my ducks in a row. I don't want to be disingenuous. I don't want to cut and paste conspiracy stuff from the Internet. I don't want to pretend to be something I am not. However, I believe there are reasonable objections for even a semi-practicing Christian such as mywelf to make a good case for being exempted from these "vaccinations."

Such as fetus cells being used in either the production or development of these vaccines (my wife and I are ardently pro-Life). But I'm hearing this line of argument could potentially be challenged by HR as many other over the counter medications like cough medicine and Tylenol have fetal cells. Both of which I have taken in the past but certainly not on even a regular basis. In fact, it's been at least a decade since I took either.

So I'm looking for a cogent argument against this vaccine that will pass muster with my HR and Legal Department - on religious grounds. As I'm sure they will need to justify their exemption to the jackboot government.

Now I'm not simply an employee at this company but at the executive level. So I need to come at this from the angle of supporting the company's policies overall while seeking an exemption for myself. A bit of an awkward situation.

I plan to take the tack of not outright refusing to take a vaccine but simply not taking it at this time until certain concerns of mine are resolved. Such as waiting for more time to pass to gauge the long-term effect, waiting for a vaccine that did not have fetal cells in either its development or its production, or until such time my personal medical situation warrants it.

Anyway, I know there are some great minds on Free Republic so would like to pick your brains on this. That said, I also know I'm opening myself up here to inane and insane comments from other Freepers. Which is all fine with me. Just looking for some input and I feel that other Freepers are or will be soon in the same type of situation I find myself in.

Lastly, my company is between a rock and a hard place. They never wanted to mandate their employees but their hand is forced because 40% of our revenues derive from public sector contracts - such as military, government agencies and schools.

My goal here is to get an exemption so that my company can say they are in compliance. Otherwise, it's time to get out of the rat race and spend the rest of my life reading books and taking nature walks - which I guess I'll be okay with - but I'm sure I'll have regrets later.

[billorites]

How would a 20 y.o. looking to buy beer handle this problem?

[ArtDodger]

Many companies, when workers get close to retirement age, start thinking of ploys to get rid of them. Couple of friends of mine at Dominion Energy had to fight to keep their job long enough to collect their benefits. Disney wrote the book on this.
Could be that this mandate is a blessing for like-minded companies that want to get rid of their older, folks and start newbies with no time accrual.

[nascarnation]

Identify as black and join Calypso Louie for 20 bucks. Surely a black muslim has to be free from persecution.

[glorgau]

> I don’t want to be disingenuous.

IMHO, it’s OK to fling BS at those who do it to you first.

Tell them it is a key tenet of your deeply held beliefs of the sect that only has yourself as a believer.

[dynachrome]

Would your job skills translate to another company that doesn’t do DOD work?

[EasySt]

Lots of good examples and training at this site:

https://coffeeandcovid.com
like:
https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/-coffee-and-covid-monday-october-4e1
and…
https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/-second-religious-accommodation-primera

~Easy

[Bob434]

Ask your boss if he or she is willing to be he,d responsible for any damage or long term health problems that might crop up from being forced to take a drug that hasn’t even been approved yet. If he isn’t willing to take that risk, then why should you have to take the risk of getting an unproven drug?

I know this isn’t a realistic response, but it sucks that they don’t have to take risks while forcing their emp,employees, to take the risk

[RummyChick]

Somebody is selling a fake arm for $1500 dollars. I laughed but it would probably work in one of those drive by shot clinics

[Huskrrrr]

Pfizer tried to hide the fact that their vaccine research used fetal tissue. I imagine most, if not all do.

[billorites]

I’m surprised that there isn’t some regular testing option in lieu of vaccination. That’s how the school I teach at has finessed the whole vaccination/mask thingy.

[MercyFlush]

I’d just start looking for another gig.

I was expecting to lose my job on 9/30 and so many people refused to cave in that the date came and went and now the mandate is effectively dead.

Maybe you need to organize your coworkers and stand together.

Hell, threaten to form a union.

[campaignPete R-CT]

If u quit, will they hire you back as an outside consultant ... at a pay cut?

May em an offer they can’t refuse

[mylife]

So work! In wish I could.

[EBH]

https://www.jdfarag.org/exemption

We now have an online resource for requesting Religious Exemption letters to support our local and online members facing vaccine mandates.

This might fit what you are looking for. There is a sample at the link after you click the request button.

[goodnesswins]

Need fake noses for testing, too😃

[cmj328]

Here's the Catholic template.

If you don't identify as Catholic, you can convert (great choice) or replace Catholic with Christian, and exchange references to authorities for references to your personal belief, or favorite theologians, etc.

[logi_cal869]

Start here

https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/school-immunization-exemption-state-laws.aspx

Then go here

https://www.sirillp.com/vaccine-exemptions/

and here

https://givingcompass.org/article/whats-the-law-on-vaccine-exemptions/?

Between the 3 you should be sufficiently armed to expand your own web search. If you’re not prepared to engage the services of a lawyer, I’d recommend retiring.

My own choices should the matter be brought to bear against me have already been cast in stone.

There is no one answer for an individual situation with inadequate information (e.g., state & company policies, coupled with exposure to federal matters).

[sloanrb]

Go to one of the clinics at Walgreens or CVS.

Slip the guy or girl a $100 bill if they will give you the card without the shot.

Best $100 you will spend.

[alexander_busek]

A medical exemption is out of the question because I have been in perfect health my entire life. Not even a prescription other than a 2-week antibiotic I was given for a sinus infection back in the 1990s. Decades before COVID, I was taking vitamins C, D3 and zinc daily. For the past 20 years, I've been eating almost nothing but natural foods, recently adding raw honeycomb to my diet (to put in my whole-fat yogurt). Over 30 years at this company and not a single sick day!

I grieve, reading these sentences, SamAdams76!

You seem to fail to realize that you are actually a very sick man!

I'm sure that there are any of a number of physicians who could surely find something wrong with you.

Further possible course of action: Remember how you once got a vaccination, and you couldn't get an erection for six months afterwards? Sure you do! So you obviously have suffered complications from vaccinations in the past - which explains your medical reason for having to decline getting vaccinated this time.

In short: You seem to be laboring under the misconception that the govt. / your company has the God-given right to demand that you submit to full disclosure regarding every aspect of your life, including personal medical histories which are none of their business and also that you take the witness stand and plead for them to accept your request for a religious exemption.

Regards,