BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) has reached a settlement with a woman from Tennessee who was terminated from her job for not adhering to the company’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for its employees. The settlement, valued at almost $700,000, was awarded to the woman.
As per the settlement obtained by WTVC, Tanja Benton has been found by a federal jury to have demonstrated “by a preponderance of the evidence” that her choice to decline the vaccine was rooted in a genuinely held religious conviction.
The jury granted Benton a total of over $687,000 in compensation, which includes more than $177,000 in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages, and $500,000 in punitive damages.
According to WTVC, Benton had been employed at BCBST as a bio statistical research scientist from 2005 until November 2022. She stated in her lawsuit that her job role did not require regular contact with individuals, as she only interacted with around 10 to 12 clients per year. Furthermore, she mentioned that some of these interactions were not conducted in person.
The FDA has recently announced that COVID vaccine companies should prioritize the KP.2 variant for their fall shots.
In a recent development, a federal jury has declared that Tanja Benton was able to demonstrate, “by a preponderance of the evidence,” that her refusal to comply with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s vaccine mandate was based on her genuinely-held religious belief. (Getty Images)
As per the lawsuit, Benton’s job never involved any interaction with patients.
During the pandemic, Benton worked from home for a year and a half without any issues. However, her perspective changed when BCBST released mandatory vaccination guidelines for its employees.
In her lawsuit, she stated that she firmly believes that all COVID-19 vaccines are developed from aborted fetus cell lines. Due to her personal research, she refused to get vaccinated, citing that it would not only defile her body but also anger and dishonor God.
The Vatican has released a statement indicating that it is morally acceptable to receive coronavirus vaccines that have been developed using abortion cell lines.
After BCBST declared that all employees are required to get vaccinated, Benton filed for a religious exemption. However, the company rejected her request and informed her that she must comply with the requirement to keep her job.
Tanja Benton was granted a total of $687,000 by the jury. The amount includes $177,000 in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages, and $500,000 in punitive damages. This decision was made by the jury and was not influenced by any external factors. (iStock)
According to the lawsuit, Benton made an appeal and clarified that her job did not require her to interact with people. However, she was allegedly informed that there were no exceptions for individuals with her job title and was advised to search for another job.
After Benton was fired by BCBST, she proceeded with legal action by filing a federal lawsuit.
