A Tennessee woman who was fired from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) for refusing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees has received a settlement worth nearly $700,000.
A federal jury found that Tanja Benton "proved by a preponderance of the evidence" that her decision to refuse the vaccine was based on a "sincerely held religious belief," according to the settlement obtained by WTVC.
The jury awarded Benton more than $177,000 in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.
Benton said she worked from home for a year and a half during the pandemic, and didn't have any complaints until BCBST announced employee vaccine requirements.
She refused to get the vaccine, purporting in her lawsuit that she "firmly believes, based upon personal research, that all COVID-19 vaccines are derived from aborted fetus cell lines." Benton said she "cannot in good conscience" receive the vaccine because it "would not only defile her body but also anger and dishonor God."
Following BCBST's announcement of a vaccine requirement, Benton submitted a request for a religious exemption, but the company denied it and told her she could not keep her job unless she complied.
BCBST ultimately fired Benton, which led her to file the federal lawsuit.
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“The Seventh-day Adventist Church, in consultation with the Health Ministries and Public Affairs and Religious Liberty departments of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, is convinced that the vaccination programs that are generally being carried out are important for the safety and health of our members and the larger community. Therefore, claims of religious liberty are not used appropriately in objecting to government mandates or employer programs designed to protect the health and safety of their communities.