'Religious Discrimination'?: 4th Circuit Revives Challenge to Employer Vaccine Mandate
The trial court "erred" in dismissing the plaintiff's reasonable accommodation and disparate treatment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in a case challenging an employer's COVID-19 vaccine mandate on religious grounds.
January 10, 2025 at 01:09 PM
2 minute read
What You Need to Know
- The state of Virginia filed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to revive a religious discrimination lawsuit against Inova Health.
- Bosson Legal Group represented the plaintiff who lost her nursing job after refusing employer-mandated COVID-19 vaccinations on religious grounds.
- Littler Mendelson represented the defendant Inova.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has revived a civil rights lawsuit against a Virginia hospital system accused of unlawfully firing a nurse who did not comply with the employer’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate on religious grounds.
Kristen M. Barnett in her complaint against Inova Health Care Services “sufficiently alleged religious discrimination for all three of her claims at this stage,” Judge Roger L. Gregory wrote in his opinion for the Fourth Circuit filed Tuesday.
Judges Stephanie D. Thacker and Nicole G. Berner joined Gregory’s opinion ruling the trial court had “erred” in dismissing the plaintiff’s reasonable accommodation and disparate treatment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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