Lauren Moye, FISM News
Private employers who demanded all employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine without consideration for religious beliefs were just placed on notice for the violation of constitutional rights.
NorthShore University HealthSystem, which is the first employer in this category to settle a class action lawsuit on the topic, will pay $10.3 million to 500 current and former employees.
The lawsuit against the Chicago-based health care provider was settled yesterday in a “historic win by Liberty Counsel Action, a Christian-affiliated law firm that defends religious freedom.”
HISTORIC WIN FOR MEDICAL FREEDOM!
Health care workers win $10.3 MILLION settlement in class action lawsuit over COVID shot mandate. https://t.co/MdkUdndAYw— Liberty Counsel (@libertycounsel) July 29, 2022
“There is no pause button on the federal employment law under Title VII,” Liberty Counsel wrote in its press release. “Employees do not lose their right to reasonable accommodation for their religious beliefs simply because an employer or even the federal government pushes a vaccine mandate under the guise of a pandemic.”
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prevents employers from discriminating based on sex, religion, national origin, and other demographics. However, many private businesses – encouraged by the Biden Administration’s own attempts at mandating covid vaccinations – instituted policies that would result in employment termination if not followed.
Some of these businesses, like NorthShore, took it a step further by denying any religious exemption requests. This means that many religious individuals who opposed Covid vaccinations were faced with a decision to violate their conscience or lose their paycheck during financially unstable times.
The settlement means that NorthShore will pay $10,337,500 in compensation to the “victims of religious discrimination…who were punished for their religious beliefs against taking an injection associated with aborted fetal cells.”
Employees who lost their job because of NorthShore’s policy are expected to receive around $25,000 each. Those who were “forced to accept” the vaccinations to keep their paycheck will receive an estimated $3,000 each. The final amounts for each plaintiff depend on the number of timely claims turned in.
Additionally, the healthcare provider must change their “no religious accommodations” policy to follow federal law to allow for approved religious exemptions. Former employees must also be considered for rehire at their former seniority level if they apply within 90 days of their settlement.
Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel said: “Let this case be a warning to employers that violated Title VII. It is especially significant and gratifying that this first class-wide COVID settlement 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.”
Liberty Counsel had previously warned NorthShore of their discrimination in October 2021 after the announcement of the mandatory vaccination. When the health system did not change its policy, Liberty Counsel then filed a class-action lawsuit.
The settlement has been filed in the Northern District of Illinois. It is awaiting court approval.