Raleigh-based University of North Carolina Health Rex is facing a lawsuit from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the provider of failing to accommodate an employee's religious beliefs and firing her for failing to get vaccinated for COVID-19, ABC11 reported Dec. 26.
In 2021, the hospital began requiring employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine unless they were granted a religious or disability exemption. The employee, who was working remotely, said she had previously been granted exemptions for other vaccinations based on religious beliefs. She claims that her request for an exemption was denied despite previously having been granted exemptions for the flu vaccine based on her religious beliefs.
"Employer-mandated vaccine policies must allow for religious accommodations for employees with conflicting sincerely held religious beliefs unless the accommodation imposes an undue hardship for the employer," Melinda Dugas, regional attorney for the EEOC's Charlotte District, told ABC11.
Becker's has reached out to Rex for comment and will update this story if more information becomes available.