Exemption

From Freepedia

An exemption is a rule or law which excepts certain things from another rule or law. For example:

• A grandfather clause, in the modern use of the U.S. term, is an exemption that allows a pre-existing condition to continue, even if such a condition is now prohibited from being begun anew.

• A tax exemption allows a certain amount of income or other value to legally avoid taxation.

• Rules against beards, burkas, or other religious symbols often have exemptions if they are worn for religious purposes.

• A student may elect to try for an exemption from a class, if he or she already knows the material from previous work at another school or job. An exemption exam is usually taken by the student as proof of this knowledge.

While exemptions are intended to make things more fair, often people not subject to the exemption claim it is unfair to them, sometimes leading to controversy.