A US federal appellate court on Monday vacated an order of summary judgment against a Federal Reserve Bank employee’s religious accommodation claim arising from the institution’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The suit was filed by executive assistants Jeanette Diaz and Lori Gardner-Alfred.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued a mixed ruling, allowing Diaz’s claim to proceed, while affirming the judgment against Gardner-Alfred’s claim. The court found genuine factual disputes regarding Diaz’s Catholic-based objections to vaccines. Significantly, the court held that her beliefs do not need to align with official Catholic doctrine, analogizing that “Martin Luther was regarded by the Catholic Church as a heretic” but still held sincere religious beliefs.

Monday’s ruling notes that courts

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