The Kansas Legislature recently passed House Bill 2001 and on November 23, 2021, Governor Kelly signed the Bill into law. See hb2001_enrolled.pdf (kslegislature.org). This law broadly defines religious beliefs. It also requires Kansas employers to grant requests for religious exemptions from a Covid-19 vaccination without inquiring into the sincerity of the employee’s belief. Employers who violate this law may face potential civil penalties – up to $50,000 for employers with 100 or more employees. 

Given that the laws regarding Covid-19 vaccination policies and mandates are rapidly changing, employers should seek legal counsel before implementing a new vaccine policy and if necessary to evaluate requests for accommodation.