DETROIT – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is evaluating its legal options after losing a lawsuit over religious freedom related to COVID vaccination.
Lisa Domski, a devout Catholic and 38-year employee, was awarded nearly $13 million after being fired for refusing the vaccine due to her religious beliefs about fetal cells used in its development.
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan had required employees to be vaccinated. Domski reportedly provided the nonprofit with a written statement explaining her beliefs and contact information for her priest. Blue Cross Blue Shield allegedly never reached out to her priest and denied Domski’s request to be exempt from the vaccination requirement.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan released a statement regarding the lawsuit. It can be read below.
Throughout the pandemic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, together with its employees, worked to promote the health and safety of our colleagues, stakeholders, and communities. As part of that shared work, in October 2021, Blue Cross, and its subsidiaries, enacted a vaccine policy requiring all of its employees to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or obtain a religious or medical accommodation. In implementing the vaccine policy, Blue Cross designed an accommodation process that complied with state and federal law and respected the sincerely held religious beliefs of its employees. While Blue Cross respects the jury process and thanks the individual jurors for their service, we are disappointed in the verdict. Blue Cross is reviewing its legal options and will determine its path forward in the coming days.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan