The term "undue hardship" is a legal concept that refers to an exception or exemption from performing certain duties, obligations, or responsibilities. In specific contexts, it may refer to situations where fulfilling a particular requirement would cause significant difficulty, burden, or harm to someone due to their unique circumstances.
In the context of bankruptcy law, "undue hardship" is used as a basis for discharging certain debts that an individual cannot reasonably be expected to repay. This determination takes into account factors such as income, expenses, and assets in order to determine whether it would cause undue hardship to require the person to pay off their debt.
In other areas of law or regulation, "undue hardship" may also refer to situations where a party is granted an exception from compliance due to extenuating circumstances that make adherence to the rules unreasonably difficult. Ultimately, the concept of undue hardship is intended to provide relief in cases where strict application of the law would cause unnecessary suffering or harm.