San Francisco transit employees have been awarded over $1 million each, after losing their jobs for refusing Covid vaccines on religious grounds.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) implemented its Covid-19 vaccine mandate in October 2021, leading to the eventual job loss of employees who refused the vaccine for religious reasons, NBC reported.
Six former employees, represented in the lawsuit by the Pacific Justice Institute, argued that BART violated California's Fair Employment and Housing Act by failing to provide accommodations despite granting religious exemptions. On Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California awarded between $1.1 million and $1.5 million per plaintiff.
"The rail employees chose to lose their livelihood rather than deny their faith," said Kevin Snider, lead attorney on the case. "That in itself shows the sincerity and depth of their convictions."
The lawsuit revealed that BART had granted exemptions to 70 employees but did not offer accommodations, such as adjusted job duties or flexible schedules, that could have allowed them to stay. In contrast, a third of employees who requested medical exemptions received accommodations.
A BART representative declined to comment on the ruling.
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