ASHVILLE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it has sued Mission Hospital Inc. for allegedly violating federal law by failing to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs.
Mission Hospital purportedly requires its employees to receive a flu vaccination annually. According to EEOC’s complaint, certain employees asked to not receive the vaccine due to religious beliefs, but did so after a deadline. Mission Hospital allegedly denied the requests and fired the employees.
"Under federal law, employers must attempt a fair balance between an employee's right to practice his or her religion and the operation of their business," Lynette A. Barnes, regional attorney for EEOC's Charlotte District Office, said. "An arbitrary deadline does not protect an employer from its obligation to provide a religious accommodation. An employer must consider, at the time it receives a request for a religious accommodation, whether the request can be granted without undue burden. This case demonstrates EEOC's commitment to fighting religious discrimination in the workplace."
EEOC will seek back pay, compensatory damages, punitive damages and reinstatement or front pay.