2nd Circ. Amends Decision on Motive for Failure-to-Accommodate Cases, No Religious Animus Required
On September 15, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit amended a two-month-old decision that tossed discrimination claims over an employer’s denial of a COVID-19 vaccine religious exemption, clarifying the decision did not create a new “heightened” motive standard for failure-to-accommodate cases and that the denial itself constituted an adverse employment action.
