Intro to Utah Labor Laws

In March, Governor Cox signed a bill to expand workplace religious protections for employees under the Utah Antidiscrimination Act. The law currently allows employees to express “religious or moral beliefs and commitments in the workplace” as long as they do so in a “reasonable, non-disruptive, and non-harassing way.” Effective May 1, the religious protections have been expanded to prohibit employers from making employees engage in “religiously objectionable expression” that the employee reasonably believes would burden or offend the “employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs.” Employees may request religious accommodation if they are required to engage in such expression or activity. 

Employers should review and revise their reasonable accommodation process and procedure to include these expanded religious protections under these amendments.

Beginning this month, Utah’s Vaccine Passport Prohibition legislation will, among other restrictions, bar most employers in the state from using an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status as a basis for employment decisions, unless otherwise required by law. Employers with mandatory vaccination policies should review these policies and consult legal counsel as needed.

Utah has added a new section to the Utah Antidiscrimination Act prohibiting  employers from requiring employees to enter into nondisclosure or non-disparagement clauses regarding sexual misconduct, such as sexual harassment or assault, at work as a condition of continuing employment. Employees can freely speak about these issues without fear of retaliation. Employers may need to update their agreements to comply with this new law, and will want to make sure their policies cover allegations of sexual harassment or assault.