Health Care Workers Settle COVID Shot Mandate for $10.3 Million
Today, Liberty Counsel settled the nation’s first classwide lawsuit for health care workers over a COVID shot mandate, for more than $10.3 million.
The class action settlement against NorthShore University HealthSystem is on behalf of more than 500 current and former health care workers who were unlawfully discriminated against and denied religious exemptions from the COVID shot mandate. The agreed upon settlement was filed today in the federal Northern District Court of Illinois.
As a result of the settlement, NorthShore will pay $10,337,500 to compensate these health care employees who were victims of religious discrimination, and who were punished for their religious beliefs against taking an injection associated with aborted fetal cells.
The NorthShore case was about obvious religious discrimination under Title VII. We hope our settlement empowers other employment law firms to take on more cases like these and support American workers. Unlawful corporate vax mandate policies have devastated thousands of lives.
— Liberty Counsel (@libertycounsel) July 29, 2022
This is a historic, first-of-its-kind class action settlement against a private employer who unlawfully denied hundreds of religious exemption requests to COVID-19 shots.
"It is especially significant and gratifying that this first classwide COVID settlement with NorthShore protects health care workers. Health care workers are heroes who daily give their lives to protect and treat their patients. They are needed now more than ever.” – Mat Staver
— Liberty Counsel (@libertycounsel) July 29, 2022
The settlement must be approved by the federal District Court. Employees of NorthShore who were denied religious exemptions will receive notice of the settlement, and will have an opportunity to comment, object, request to opt out, or submit a claim form for payment out of the settlement fund, all in accordance with deadlines that will be set by the court.
As part of the settlement agreement, NorthShore will also change its unlawful “no religious accommodations” policy to make it consistent with the law, and to provide religious accommodations in every position across its numerous facilities. No position in any NorthShore facility will be considered off limits to unvaccinated employees with approved religious exemptions.
In addition, employees who were terminated because of their religious refusal of the COVID shots will be eligible for rehire if they apply within 90 days of final settlement approval by the court, and they will retain their previous seniority level.
Source:
lc.org/newsroom/details/072922-health-care-workers-settle-covid-shot-mandate-for-dollar103-million-1