Premiere Rehab, also known as Infinity Rehab, has agreed to settle a discrimination case with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This decision follows a charge filed by an employee who faced termination due to a conflict over COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
The employee, who worked as an occupational therapy assistant, was assigned to a long-term care facility that mandated all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The employee requested an exemption based on her religious beliefs. Initially, Infinity Rehab indicated it would support her request for accommodation. However, the facility’s strict policies ultimately led to her termination when they could not honor her request.
The EEOC investigated the situation and found enough evidence to support the claim that Infinity Rehab had discriminated against the employee. This action violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects individuals from discrimination based on religion and mandates that employers provide reasonable accommodations for sincerely held religious beliefs.
As part of the settlement, Infinity Rehab will provide monetary compensation to the affected employee and will implement training for all staff and management to prevent similar issues in the future. The EEOC’s Chicago District Office, which oversees cases in several states including Minnesota, handled the investigation and resolution of this case.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges many employees face regarding workplace accommodations for religious beliefs, especially during the pandemic.