Tennessee Woman Wins $687,000 Settlement After Being Fired for Declining COVID-19 Vaccine on Religious Grounds
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A Tennessee woman was awarded nearly $700,000 in a settlement after a federal jury agreed that her termination from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) was unjust. The company had fired her for not adhering to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which she opposed due to her religious beliefs. Tanja Benton, a former biostatistical research scientist at BCBST, challenged her 2022 dismissal in federal court, asserting that her refusal to receive the vaccine was rooted in a sincere religious conviction. The jury awarded Benton more than $177,000 in lost wages, $10,000 for emotional distress, … Read more