Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Illinois, is facing legal action for not accommodating employees who asked to avoid the COVID-19 vaccine due to religious beliefs and medical issues. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed two lawsuits against the hospital, accusing it of violating federal law.
One lawsuit involves a lab worker who requested a religious exemption because the vaccine conflicted with her faith. The other concerns an employee in the insurance department who suffered a severe allergic reaction to the first vaccine dose and asked for a disability accommodation. Both employees were told no and then faced retaliation. The hospital either fired them or pressured them to quit, though the EEOC says these requests could have been handled without causing major problems for the hospital.
The EEOC is asking for compensation for the affected workers and wants the hospital to change its policies to prevent this kind of issue in the future. The case highlights the importance of employers respecting workers’ rights to religious and health-related accommodations, especially during public health efforts like vaccine mandates.