A group of former employees of St. Charles Health System have filed a lawsuit alleging the Bend, Ore.-based health system's COVID-19 vaccine requirement violated their religious freedom rights, The Bulletin reported May 3.
The $2.5 million lawsuit, filed in Deschutes County Circuit Court, alleges that six nurses, a lab tech and a phlebotomist received a religious exemption, but were still told they could quit or be fired, according to the newspaper.
The workers either quit, were placed on unpaid leave but later fired, or outright fired.
Two workers were denied a religious exemption and were fired, and one nurse did not apply for a religious exemption but chose to quit, the lawsuit says, according to The Bulletin.
According to the newspaper, the lawsuit alleges that St. Charles had an obligation to accommodate workers' religious beliefs and that "it would not have been an unfair hardship to have allowed [employees] to continue working with personal protective equipment, regular testing, or other measures."
At issue in the lawsuit is the health system's vaccination requirement, which was put in place when Oregon initiated its vaccination requirement for healthcare workers in October 2021. The state updated its policy in April 2022, prompting St. Charles and other Oregon hospitals to lift their requirements.
Kayley Mendenhall, a spokesperson for St. Charles, shared the following statement with Becker's: "St. Charles fulfilled its obligations to comply in good faith with both state and federal vaccine requirements for healthcare workers and prioritized the safety of its patients, its caregivers and the community during the global COVID-19 pandemic. We stand by our commitment to keep our community safe during that difficult time."
The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages or costs incurred because they were fired, according to The Bulletin.