Bacon v. Woodward

A city’s implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for firefighters was not generally applicable and failed strict scrutiny because it exempted neighboring firefighters while denying religious exemptions, and less restrictive means were available.

ReligiousLiberty.TV
February 26, 2026
0 min read
Citation: No. 22-35611 Year: 2024
Holding: A city's implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for firefighters was not generally applicable and failed strict scrutiny because it exempted neighboring firefighters while denying religious exemptions, and less restrictive means were available.
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Bacon v. Woodward (No. 22-35611) is a Free Exercise case in 2024. The court held that a city's implementation of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for firefighters was not generally applicable and failed strict scrutiny because it exempted neighboring firefighters while denying religious exemptions, and less restrictive means were available.