Airlines are still requiring COVID-19 injections for new hires

Let’s take a look at one major airline’s exemption questions - screenshots compiled January 2023

By Cristina Field

Since the rollout of the Covid-19 injections, I watched my coworkers, friends, and industry professionals roll up their sleeves to take them willingly. But the dark side of the last 2+ years is that many were coerced into submission. What you might not know is that most airlines are outwardly projecting that they’re not mandating the Covid-19 injections, but then telling new hires that they’re required, or not telling them they can apply for an exemption, then making them jump through hoops to get an exemption.

I had been asking around for screenshots of any of the exemption processes at the airlines, and in January I hit gold. I will not be sharing the screenshots or the name of the company to protect the employee that shared them with me.

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First screenshot shared- had the large logo of the company, with the question: “Are you fully vaccinated against COVID-19?”

It then goes on to say, “You are fully vaccinated when you’ve received both doses in a two-shot series, such as for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, or a single-dose vaccine, such as Janssen/Johnson & Johnson.” With the ability to click a box that says yes, or a box that says no.

Fully vaccinated to them, even at this point, only means both doses of the 2 shot series or a single shot of J&J. We must remember that with any number of injections you’re in EUA territory, as well as the FAA’s broken guidance that pilots not take a drug within 12 months post FDA approval.

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When you click “No” on the last screen, the next screen pops up, with another big company logo, and this: “Please get vaccinated as possible [this is not a typo, they really left out ‘soon as’] to ensure you are able to continue working at (Company). There are three vaccines that will qualify, and more information on each can be found on the CDC website(link). The COVID-19 vaccines are widely available throughout the U.S. Visit vaccines (dot) gov [I substituted the (dot)] to find a vaccine near you.”

Just a little bit of time pressure. Here’s some government websites to make you feel better about your loss of medical autonomy.

So often over the last 2 years I would fly with someone who was uninjected who got this email or screen from their dream airline and immediately got the injection. They never realized they had a choice, until they talked to me or other US Freedom Flyers after the fact. The company never told them they could receive an exemption. They had to know to email the company telling them they were requesting one.

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“Please identify your sincerely-held religious belief, practice, and/or observance that you believe conflicts with the company’s vaccination mandate.”

That language. Makes me angry just reading it.

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“Please state how your particular sincerely-held religious belief, practice, and/or observance specifically conflicts with the company’s vaccination mandate, and describe the accommodation that you are requesting (also list any alternative accommodations that you believe will eliminate the conflict).”

How this was a question cleared by Human Resources is beyond me.

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“Have you received a religious exemption for any other vaccine requirements in the past three years?”

I’m sure 99% of us didn’t know that we could get a religious exemption to anything.

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“Have you ever been approved for any other type of religious accommodation during your employment here?”

These questions amount to nothing more than bullying, and are intended to seed doubt. They are intended to suggest insincere religious beliefs. ‘Well, you’ve never asked for a religious accommodation before. Why now?’ Also, this was sent to new hires, but this question seems geared towards current employees. Understand that many companies, including the unnamed one in this article, blanket approved the exemptions for current employees. The new hires were left in this weird ‘no man’s land’ where they didn’t have coworkers to discuss things with. They didn’t know the exemptions were being approved no matter what you wrote. This is most often their dream job, and they didn’t want to lose it over not taking an injection.

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“Does the sincerely-held religious belief, practice, and/or observance prevent you from receiving other vaccines or just the Covid-19 vaccine?”

It’s a trap.

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“Are there other aspects of your sincerely-held religious belief, practice, and/or observance related to receiving medical care?”

What happens if you say yes or no? Is there a follow up question?

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“For how long have you had this religious belief, practice and/or observance?

Why does it include a long text box? Does it matter how long? If I’ve had the belief for a week it’s just as valid as having had it all my life.

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“In preparing your requested exemption from the Covid-19 vaccination requirement based on the above-referenced religious belief, practice and/or observance, did you utilize a sample or template request provided by a third party (other than your regular place of worship), whether purchased or otherwise?”

Honestly, WTF. We were all scrambling to try and justify not giving up our GOD GIVEN bodily autonomy. It shouldn’t matter if I worship in a giant church, online, or in the woods.

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“Since the age of 18, have you received any vaccination(s) (please select YES or NO only- do not provide any additional information at this time).”

If someone clicked on yes, what is the company going to do about it?

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“Since the age of 18, have you taken any pharmaceutical(s) (drugs), whether prescription or non-prescription (over the counter) (please select YES or NO only- do not provide any additional information at this time).”

Is this entrapment? Is this what entrapment looks like? If anything it is overly invasive.

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“As referenced at the outset, the company reserves its right to request additional information in support of your request for an accommodation and will comply with all applicable laws in determining whether it is able to accommodate your request without undue hardship to the company.”

Well since the mandates have been illegal from the start, there were no applicable laws to enforce this whole dog and pony show. See CFR Title 21 on informed consent. Informed consent was noticeably absent for those that received the injections, we all (should have) had the choice to not accept an EUA product.

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“By signing below, I hereby certify that the statements and information provided above and in furtherance of my request for accommodation based on what I have represented to be my sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance are true and accurate. I understand that any intentional misrepresentation contained in this request may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. I further understand that the company is not required to provide this exemption/accommodation if doing so would pose a direct threat to myself or others in the workplace or would create an undue hardship for the company.”

So much to unpack in this paragraph. First off, let’s assume something like this form was forced on the unvaccinated in all of corporate America. Across all industries, people were forced to grovel to their employer to avoid coerced injections with an experimental vaccine. That the company then had the gall to tell them that if they didn’t fill it out to the company standards, that if they just didn’t believe hard enough, or correctly, they could be disciplined or fired. Then on the other end you had the employees that gave in and rolled up their sleeves, knowing it was the jab or their job. It’s no wonder employees hate their employers right now. You, the companies, the executives, the mid level managers, you did this to us.

This also seems to leave it open ended. It’s as if the companies are saying: At any point in the future, we can screw you over. Because just like those we forced to take the shots, we’ve got you too, and we’ll force you to jump through hoops again in the future at an undetermined date.

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I am being told many companies accepted everyone’s exemption, and they are to be commended. Many companies fired their unvaccinated, or charged them a fee, or forced them to test in lieu of vaccination. All of the companies allowed their vaccinated employees to bully the unvaccinated.

What our companies put us through was atrocious, and they must be held accountable. Our unions went right along with it. They were literally created to protect us from the companies and the government, but they did not fight for us. We cannot forget what happened. Remember no job is worth your bodily autonomy, even one that takes decades and over a hundred thousand dollars to achieve.

If you are trying to get hired by a company, please know your rights. You do not have to receive a Covid-19 injection, you can submit an exemption. Let them know you will be submitting one.

If you had to go through the exemption process and it was accepted or denied, share your story in the comments. If you prefer to remain anonymous, email me at media@usfreedomflyers.org and I’ll share it for you.