Tennessee woman received nearly $700,000 after being fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccine – Fulcrum7

A Tennessee woman who was fired by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) for refusing to comply with employee COVID-19 vaccination requirements has received a severance package worth nearly $700,000.

A federal jury concluded that Tanja Benton had “proven by the preponderance of the evidence” that her decision to refuse the vaccine was based on a “sincerely held religious belief.” Comparison obtained by WTVC.

The jury awarded Benton more than $177,000 in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.

Benton said she had worked from home for a year and a half during the pandemic and had no complaints until BCBST announced her employee Vaccination requirements.

She refused to be vaccinated, stating in her lawsuit that she “strongly believed, based on personal research, that was all.” Covid-19 vaccinations come from cell lines from aborted fetuses.” Benton said she “could not in good conscience” receive the vaccine because it would “not only contaminate her body, but also anger and dishonor God.”

After BCBST announced a vaccination requirement, Benton submitted a request for a religious exemption, but the company denied it and told her she wouldn’t be able to keep her job if she didn’t comply.

BCBST eventually fired Benton, which led them to file a federal lawsuit.

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“The Seventh-day Adventist Church, in consultation with the ministries of health and the public affairs and religious freedom departments of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, believes that the widely implemented vaccination programs are important for the safety and health of our members and the larger community. Therefore, Religious freedom claims are not appropriately used as objections to government orders or employer programs designed to protect the health and safety of their communities.

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