Lawsuit filed against Ascension Health after religious discrimination claims

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – At least 60 Indiana hospital employees have filed a class action complaint against Ascension Health over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

At least five of the 60 people listed as defendants in the complaint are from the Tri-State.

Indiana employees accuse the hospital operator of religious discrimination after claims it denied their requests to forgo getting a COVID vaccine, due to religious reasons.

They say they were forced to choose between following their faith and losing their jobs.

The class action complaint is being brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees from having to sacrifice their jobs to observe religious practices.

The group claims the hospital put the vaccine mandate in place without properly assessing each application for religious exemption.

In the end, many of the defendants were suspended or terminated.

This complaint asks the court to certify their request for class-action status, asks for damages and demands a jury trial.

14 News reached out for comment to an Ascension Health spokesperson, who says they are unable to comment on matters related to pending litigation.

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