Compensation was offered for religious discrimination.
QUICK FACTS:
- A suit filed against NorthShore University HealthSystem by Liberty Counsel for workers forced to take experimental COVID-19 shots has been settled.
- Legal team representatives announced that 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 class action was on behalf of 500 current and former NorthShore employees in Illinois, where the settlement still has to be approved by the court.
- The legal team said they believe the class action provides not only monetary relief, but a substantial policy change.
- Those fired for not taking the shots will have the ability to be rehired if they re-apply and will receive about $25,000 each.
- Those who were forced to take the shot to keep their jobs will get about $3,000 each, and the 13 lead plaintiffs will get an additional $20,000.
COMMENTS FROM THE LEGAL TEAM:
- “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,” the Liberty Counsel legal team announced.
- “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,” Liberty Counsel revealed.
- “The drastic policy change and substantial monetary relief required by the settlement will bring a strong measure of justice to NorthShore’s employees who were callously forced to choose between their conscience and their jobs. This settlement should also serve as a strong warning to employers across the nation that they cannot refuse to accommodate those with sincere religious objections to forced vaccination mandates,” said Liberty Counsel official Horatio G. Mihet.
BACKGROUND:
- The class-action suit is said to be the first of its kind involving COVID shot mandates and could serve as a precedent for future cases.
- It specifically targeted an employer who violated the Title VII rights of employees who asked to be exempted from the shots on religious grounds.
- “Health care workers are heroes who daily give their lives to protect and treat their patients. They are needed now more than ever,” said Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver.
