The NorthShore University Health System in Illinois recently signed a $10.3 million settlement to end a lawsuit over its COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Employees brought a class-action lawsuit after they were denied a religious exemption to the system's vaccine policy.
NorthShore said 523 employees requested and were denied religious exemption and accommodation to its policy requiring COVID-19 vaccination between July 1, 2021, and Jan. 1, 2022. About half of them became compliant with the vaccine policy, and about half were fired or resigned based upon their religious objection to a receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the settlement.
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First Class-Action for Health Care Workers
The settlement represents the nation's first class-action lawsuit for healthcare workers over a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to Liberty Counsel, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of 14 employees who were denied a religious exemption. The settlement still needs approval from a federal judge.
Religious Objections
The lawsuit alleged NorthShore's vaccine mandate discriminated against employees because of their Christian religious beliefs, citing the use of fetal tissue in medical research. The employees who agreed to get vaccinated despite their religious objections may be eligible to receive $3,000, while those who were terminated could get $25,000.
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