Ninth Circuit Takes on Major Religious Accommodation Case From Snohomish Firefighters
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear a local religious accommodations case that could have far-reaching impacts in the workplace. Petersen et al. v. Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue involves eight Washington firefighters placed on indefinite suspension after requesting religious exemptions from their department’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The fire department claimed that allowing unvaccinated firefighters to work would have caused undue hardship, but the firefighters argue that their safety record proves otherwise. This decision could set a precedent for how religious accommodation cases are handled, particularly in the context of vaccine mandates. It could also set up the issue to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“This case is about ensuring that employees are not forced to choose between their religious beliefs and their jobs,” the plaintiffs said in a joint statement. “The Ninth Circuit’s decision will have far-reaching implications for religious liberty in the workplace.”
Exclusive: Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George Orders a Review of All COVID Vax Mandate Related GOMORs
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George has ordered the Army to review all general officer memorandums of reprimand, or GOMORs, that were issued to soldiers related to the Biden administration’s coronavirus vaccine mandate, his spokesman Army Col. Dave Butler told Breitbart News.
George has personally reached out to some affected soldiers who were issued GOMORs, which is a career-damaging administrative punishment for serious misconduct, to inform them the Army was looking into their cases.
The Biden administration kicked out over 8,000 U.S. troops from the military over their refusal to take the emergency use authorized vaccine. Tens of thousands more are estimated to have left the military over the mandate.
City Workers Talk Loss of Employment
When COVID-19 vaccine mandates were introduced, many felt as though their rights were being challenged. Anthony C., 30, of Rego Park, was teaching at a Brooklyn school when he learned he would have to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or lose his job. “I considered a fake vaccination card, but I didn’t want to get in trouble or lie,” Anthony, who declined to use his last name, told the Chronicle. “I didn’t file a religious exemption for that reason, either. I’m not religious.”
At the time, in late 2021, he was fresh out of graduate school and new to teaching. He decided he’d be better off quitting instead of fighting back. “I didn’t even consider suing or anything,” Anthony said. “I didn’t want to get into it with the Department of Education, so I left.” He said that while he understood the gravity of the pandemic, he didn’t want to get the vaccine.
“It’s my body, my choice,” he stated. “I know that phrase is usually used by women — and I support that, too — but it works universally. Government shouldn’t police our bodies.” The vaccine mandate for city employees was imposed in a series of orders over several months in 2021 to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It was rescinded in February 2023.
Judge Implies Favoring Physician Assistant Suing LACo for Termination After Refusing Vaccine
A judge says he intends to enter judgment in favor of a physician assistant who sued Los Angeles County, alleging she was discriminated against when she was fired in 2023 for not abiding by the county’s coronavirus vaccination mandate.
Katherine Katz, a Catholic, alleged in her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that management told her she was not sincere enough in her beliefs. Judge William Fahey presided over a nonjury trial of Katz’s suit, took the issues under submission on Feb. 28 and announced his decision on Monday.
The judge said that if either side has any objections to his tentative statement of decision, they have until March 21 to let him know. A copy of the tentative statement of decision was not yet available on the court’s website.
U.S. Removes COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Immigrant Visas
The U.S. has eliminated the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for immigrant visa applicants. Effective March 11, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed the technical instructions related to the COVID-19 vaccination requirement previously provided to panel physicians, effectively ending the mandate for immigrant visa applicants to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Panel physicians will no longer determine whether an immigrant visa applicant is ineligible to travel based on failure to receive or document the COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. Department of State has clarified that U.S. embassies and consulates will not deny immigrant visa applications solely due to an applicant’s failure to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, in line with the updated CDC guidance.
For applicants whose visa applications were previously denied due to failure to establish COVID-19 vaccination, those with unexpired medical examinations that are otherwise still valid for travel to the U.S. can now request a new medical examination from a panel physician at no additional cost. The U.S. Department of State has stated that affected applicants should contact the U.S. embassy or consulate where they applied for their immigrant visa to make this request.
More State Legislation as Mobile Driver’s Licenses Roll Through Gears of Government
Mobile driver’s licenses promise (mDL) promise to be a transformational technology. In a world of mobile tickets and boarding passes, enthusiasm for digital IDs is growing. But in the U.S., where each state has specific laws, mDLs have a gauntlet of legislative procedures to go through before they can become useful and widespread.
Idaho has passed a bill allowing mobile driver’s licenses and digital identity cards. The bill passed 37-33 in the state House of Representatives this week, and must now pass the Senate and clear the governor’s desk to become law.
A report from the Idaho Capital Sun says House Bill 78, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen, R-Idaho Falls, would allow the Idaho Transportation Department to issue “electronic driver’s licenses and ID cards that people could access on their mobile phone’s wallet application.” The mDL program will be opt-in and will not remove the requirement to carry a physical license. Digital IDs will not be accepted for identity verification at election polls.
Allstate Sued for Exposing Personal Customer Information in Plaintext
U.S. insurance giant Allstate has been hit with a lawsuit for allegedly losing sensitive customer data and not notifying victims about what had happened. The State of New York has sued Allstate’s National General unit, with Attorney General Letitia James filing the lawsuit in a state court in Manhattan, claiming the company’s lax security practices resulted in two data breaches, one in 2020, and one in 2021, which weren’t even reported on until the lawsuit.
The first breach, which happened between August and November 2020, apparently affected 12,000 individuals (9,100 New Yorkers). National General did not spot the attack for two months, and never notified affected customers, or state agencies of the attack.
The second attack, which happened in February 2021, affected an additional 187,000 customers (155,000 New Yorkers), and occurred after Allstate acquired National General in January 2021 for roughly $4 billion.
