Listen To Story Above

A former IT specialist at Blue Cross Blue Shield has been awarded a landmark $12 million settlement after being terminated for refusing the COVID-19 vaccination on religious grounds.

Lisa Domski, who dedicated over 30 years to the insurance giant, won her religious discrimination lawsuit in Detroit’s federal court. The jury awarded her $10 million in punitive damages, along with $1.7 million for lost wages and an additional $1 million for noneconomic damages.

Her attorney, Jon Marko, emphasized that Domski performed her duties remotely, both before and during the pandemic.

“Our forefathers fought and died for the freedom for each American to practice his or her own religion. Neither the government nor a corporation has a right to force an individual to choose between his or her career and conscience,” Marko stated after the verdict.

“Lisa refused to renounce her faith and beliefs and was wrongfully terminated from the only job she had ever known,” he continued.

“The jury’s verdict today tells BCBSM that religious discrimination has no place in America and affirms each person’s right to religious freedom.”

The insurance company defended its stance in a statement: “Throughout the pandemic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, together with its employees, worked to promote the health and safety of our colleagues, stakeholders, and communities.

As part of that shared work, in October 2021, Blue Cross, and its subsidiaries, enacted a vaccine policy requiring all of its employees to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or obtain a religious or medical accommodation.

In implementing the vaccine policy, Blue Cross designed an accommodation process that complied with state and federal law and respected the sincerely held religious beliefs of its employees.

While Blue Cross respects the jury process and thanks the individual jurors for their service, we are disappointed in the verdict.”

The company indicated it was evaluating legal options for its next steps.

This case highlights the widespread impact of vaccine mandates during the pandemic, which resulted in numerous Americans losing their employment. With the potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency, many anticipate additional justice for those who faced discrimination over their vaccination decisions.