Former ONU Law Professor Dallan Flake, Associate Dean of Faculty Scholarship and the Clute-Holleran Scholar in Corporate Law at Gonzaga University School of Law, will present “No Jab, No Job: Assessing the Religious Sincerity of Vaccine-Exemption Seekers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The lecture will be held Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 11 a.m. in Tilton Hall, Room 129.
During the pandemic, millions of employees sought religious exemptions from workplace vaccine mandates, prompting employers and courts to grapple with distinguishing sincere religious beliefs from objections rooted in personal, political, or philosophical views. Professor Flake will examine how courts assess religious sincerity in these cases, highlight areas of judicial agreement and disagreement, and explore emerging trends in employment discrimination law. He will also propose a more coherent and principled framework for evaluating religious accommodation requests.
The Dean’s Lecture Series, established in 2004, brings distinguished legal scholars and practitioners to ONU Law to encourage scholarly discussion among students, faculty, and visiting scholars. Dean Flake is a leading scholar in religious accommodation law, having published more than 15 law review articles and delivered numerous lectures nationwide.
We look forward to welcoming him back to campus.