SAN FRANCISCO — The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday affirmed a lower-court decision favoring Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue, finding that granting COVID-19 vaccine religious exemptions to eight firefighters would have imposed an undue hardship during the pandemic.

After then-Gov. Jay Inslee mandated COVID-19 shots for all healthcare workers in August 2021, Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue imposed the same requirement on its firefighters, but allowed staff to apply for religious accommodations, My Northwest reported.

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The department denied the eight plaintiffs’ requests, among 46 filed, saying no feasible accommodation existed.

The court concluded the department had demonstrated that granting the exemptions woul

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