Six San Francisco public transit employees who were fired for refusing to get COVID-19 vaccines received more than $1 million each.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) employees have filed a discrimination lawsuit, saying they were wrongly terminated for refusing the vaccine due to “sincerely held religious beliefs.”
A federal jury this week awarded the group a total of $7.8 million, or $1.3 million each.
The six BART employees received $7.8 million. Jado via Getty Images
An official with BART, which connects the San Francisco Peninsula to communities in the East and South Bays, told KRON 4 he had “no comment” on the ruling.
BART issued a new COVID-19 vaccination policy in October 2021 that requires all employees to be fully vaccinated.
Those who requested exemptions because of their “sincerely held religious beliefs” were dismissed, plaintiffs’ attorneys alleged in the lawsuit filed by the Pacific Justice Institute.
“Excluding religious people from the enjoyment of the right violates the religion clauses of the First Amendment and federal and state anti-discrimination laws in employment laws. 109 employees’ requests for a religious exemption were denied,” the lawsuit states.
BART officials failed to prove undue hardship, and the six employees revealed a real conflict between their faith and the vaccine, a jury ruled Wednesday.
“Railroad employees chose to lose their livelihood rather than deny their faith,” lead attorney Kevin Snyder said.
This in itself indicates the sincerity and depth of their convictions. After nearly three years of struggle, these essential workers feel they have been heard and understood by the jury, and are thrilled and relieved by the verdict.
An amount of $7.8 million in lost wages, plus $1 million, was calculated for each furloughed employee.
