The Biden Administration has announced that it will collect, store, and disseminate information regarding government employees who have requested a religious exemption to the COVID-19 Vaccine mandate. This new system will be published and available in February of 2022. As of this article, the Biden Administration has made no mention of what will be done with the information or database after each exemption has been decided.
Multiple groups have voiced concerns regarding both religious persecution and individual liberties and privacies. While the courts have given the Biden Administration setbacks with the rollout of their vaccine mandates, the administration doesn’t appear to be changing course. According to various polls, a slight majority of Americans feel there is no reasonable religious reason for a vaccine exemption. Some religious leaders, such as the Vatican for the Catholic Church, have come out in support of their members taking the vaccine calling it “morally acceptable”.
Michael Gryboski of The Christian Post writes:
A federal government agency’s announced plan to keep track of employees who have refused on religious grounds to get vaccinated against COVID-19 has drawn concern from conservatives.
Earlier this week, the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia announced the creation of the “Employee Religious Exception Request Information System.” The federal agency is responsible for supervising defendants awaiting trial in the District of Columbia and formulating release recommendations.
According to the announcement posted to the federal register Tuesday, the “Employee Religious Exception Request Information System” aims to maintain “personal religious information collected in response to religious accommodation requests for religious exception from the federally mandated vaccination requirement in the context of a public health emergency or similar health and safety incident.”
“The system of records will assist the Agency in the collection, storing, dissemination, and disposal of employee religious exemption request information collected and maintained by the Agency,” stated the announcement.
Public comments about the new system will be received until Feb. 10.
“This new system will be effective upon publication. New or modified routine uses will be effective February 10, 2022.”
Read the full article here.
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