California Court of Appeal rules unpaid leave can be religious accommodation for…

In the case of Smith v. Burbank Unified School District, a three-judge panel of the California Court of Appeal ruled on October 7, 2026, that an unpaid leave of absence can constitute a reasonable accommodation for employees whose religious beliefs prevent them from complying with a mandatory vaccination requirement. This ruling falls under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

The ruling clarifies that under FEHA, employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on religious conflicts with job requirements, unless the employer can prove it cannot reasonably accommodate the belief without undue hardship. This sets a legal precedent for employment practices in California.