A Tennessee woman who was fired by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee (BCBST) for refusing to require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccination has received a nearly $700,000 settlement.
A federal jury found that Tanja Benton “demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence” that her decision to refuse the vaccine was based on her “sincerely held religious beliefs.” Settlement obtained by WTVC.
The jury awarded Benton more than $687,000 in total damages, more than $177,000 in back wages, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.
Benton, who worked at BCBST from 2005 until November 2022 as a research scientist, primarily in biostatistics, said in the lawsuit that her job did not involve regular contact with people. She said she only interacted with 10 to 12 clients each year, and that her occasional interactions were not face-to-face.
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A federal jury ruled that Tanya Benton “demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence” that her decision to refuse a vaccination mandate from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee was based on her “sincerely held religious beliefs.” (Getty Images)
The lawsuit also alleges that Benton never had contact with patients as part of his job duties.
Benton said she had been working from home for the past year and a half during the pandemic but had no complaints until BCBST announced a vaccination requirement for employees.
Benton refused to get vaccinated, claiming in her lawsuit that “based on my personal research, I firmly believe that all COVID-19 vaccines are made from cell lines from aborted fetuses” and that she could not “in good conscience” get the vaccine because it would “not only defile my body, but also offend and dishonor God.”
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After BCBST announced the vaccination mandate, Benton applied for a religious exemption, but the company denied it and told her she couldn’t keep her job unless she complied.
The jury awarded Tanya Benton more than $177,000 in unpaid wages, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages. (iStock)
Benton appealed the ruling, explaining that she didn’t come into contact with people at work, but she says she was told there were no exceptions for people in her line of work. She was also encouraged to start looking for other work, according to the lawsuit.
BCBST eventually fired Benton, leading her to file a federal lawsuit.
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“Managing vaccinations was the best decision for the health and safety of our employees and members, including some of the most vulnerable people in the state, and our communities,” BCBST previously told WTVC. “We thank our former employees for their service to our members and communities during their time with Blue Cross.”
Fox News Digital reached out to BCBST but had not received a response at the time of publication.
