The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against a Trinity Health hospital in Michigan for allegedly violating federal religious laws by rescinding an employment offer because the person refused to get a flu shot.
The EEOC is pursuing the case on behalf of Christopher Simmons, and the argument stems after Mr. Simmons sought religious accommodation from Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Mercy Health St. Mary's annual influenza vaccine policy, according to court documents filed April 28.
Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health and Mercy Health St. Mary's are listed as defendants.
Trinity Health told Becker's, "We have not yet been served and are not able to comment at this time."
"Under Mercy Health's influenza policy, employees are required to get a flu shot on an annual basis unless granted an exemption," the EEOC said in a May 1 news release. "While the applicant's conditional job offer was pending, he applied for an exemption to the flu shot requirement based on his religious beliefs. Mercy Health arbitrarily denied his request and rescinded the job offer, without specifying to the applicant why or how his request for an exemption was deficient."
Mr. Simmons applied for a business office coordinator position in 2019, according to the suit.
Court documents say the commission attempted conciliation "to eliminate the unlawful employment practices and provide appropriate relief" in 2021, and when those were not met, the EEOC filed suit in late April.
The suit asks for the defendants to compensate Mr. Simmons for lost income and "eradicate the effects of its past and present unlawful employment practices."