A devout Catholic was awarded nearly $13 million in a discrimination lawsuit claiming she was fired in 2022 for refusing to follow her company’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate as it was against her religion.
Lisa Domski, an IT specialist for the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), had worked for the company for a combined total of nearly 40 years before the non-profit canned her for not getting the jab.
BCBSM implemented a mandatory vaccination policy for its employees in Oct. 2021, requiring all staff to be fully vaccinated from COVID-19 unless they apply for religious or medical accommodations.
The company gave all employees until Dec. 8, 2021, to adhere to the mandate.
Despite following the appropriate channels provided by BCBSM for employees to file for a religious exemption, Domski’s request was denied, according to a discrimination lawsuit initially obtained by the Epoch Times.
Domski, a devoted Catholic from Wyandotte, Michigan, declined the shots because she believed the vaccines that were in circulation at the time were either tested or developed using fetal cells that were obtained from abortions, the Catholic Herald reported.
After denying the request, BCBSM allegedly threatened their longtime employee with termination if she didn’t comply to the mandate.
Domski still refused and was ultimately fired on Jan. 5, 2022, following a nearly month-long unpaid leave of absence, according to the suit filed in the US District Court of Eastern Michigan in Aug. 2023.
She was among nearly 250 employees fired by the company after requesting a religious exemption to the mandate.
The company claimed in court filings that Domski lacked a sincerely held religious belief. --->READ MORE HERE
Photo Illustration by Alex Cochran |
A Catholic woman who refused to comply with her employer’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for religious reasons has been awarded nearly $13 million in damages from a religious discrimination suit.
Lisa Domski, who is Catholic, worked remotely as an IT specialist for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan when the company put its mandate in place, per Catholic News Agency.
Domski requested a faith-based accommodation, citing her concerns about the fetal cells used in the development of the shots. She said getting vaccinated would make her feel complicit in abortion, since the fetal cells came from tissue obtained during abortions.
Company leaders refused to exempt Domski, and then they fired her in January 2022. She filed a religious discrimination lawsuit, which led to the big payout.
“Domski was awarded nearly $1.7 million in front pay and back pay damages and another $1 million in noneconomic damages. She also received $10 million in punitive damages, which are only awarded in civil cases when the jury determines that the defendant acted in a malicious or reckless manner,” Catholic News Agency reported.
Blue Cross said in a statement that it’s reviewing the court’s decision, as well as its legal options.
“While Blue Cross respects the jury process and thanks the individual jurors for their service, we are disappointed in the verdict,” the statement said. --->READ MORE HEREFollow links below to relevant/related stories and resources:
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