A scientist who was fired for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons has received a historic settlement of nearly $700,000.
Tanja Benton, 52, was laid off by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BSBST) in November 2022, at a time when many companies were requiring their employees to get vaccinated in order to return to work after the pandemic.
She claimed in a lawsuit that she could not in good conscience get vaccinated because of her religious aversion to abortion, and that “based on personal research, all COVID-19 vaccines are derived from cell lines taken from aborted fetuses.”
A federal jury found that her refusal was based on “sincerely held religious beliefs” and awarded her the amount in a settlement first negotiated by WTVC.
Tanja Benton, 52, was awarded nearly $700,000 after she was fired by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BSBST) in November 2022 for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine
Benton, who worked as biostatistical researcher at BSBST from 2005 until her dismissal in November 2022, was awarded a total of $687,000 in settlement.
This amounted to more than $177,000 in back pay after her termination, $10,000 in liquidated damages, and $500,000 in punitive damages.
In her lawsuit, the 52-year-old alleged that she did not have regular contact with other staff members during her daily duties and had never had contact with hospital patients.
She said that when the pandemic hit, she worked from home for a year and a half and had no problem with BCBST’s policy until they introduced a mandatory vaccination.
When faced with the choice of getting vaccinated or losing her job, Benton refused, saying it would “not only defile her body, but also incite anger and dishonor God.”
Benton’s claim that “all COVID-19 vaccines are derived from cell lines from aborted fetuses” is not entirely accurate, but they were used in the development phase of some vaccines.
While the COVID-19 vaccines themselves do not contain aborted fetal cells, fetal cell lines were used during the research phase of the mRNA vaccines – and during the production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Fetal cell lines are grown in a laboratory from aborted fetal cells collected generations ago, per Nebraska Medicinebut they are not in any COVID-19 vaccine.
Benton said she filed a request for a religious exemption, but the company denied it, telling her she would be fired if she didn’t comply.
The company also allegedly told her that there were no vaccine exemptions for people with her job title and advised her to look for another job.
Blue Cross Blue Shield (pictured is the company’s campus in Chattanooga, Tennessee) said it was “disappointed” by the decision in Benton’s case
In a statement to WTVC, the company said: “Requiring vaccination was the best decision for the health and safety of our employees and members — some of whom are among the most vulnerable in the state — and our communities.
“We are grateful to our former employees for their commitment to our members and the community during their time at BlueCross.”
Dalya Qualls White, the company’s senior vice president and chief communications officer, added The Chattanoogan that BCBST was ‘disappointed with the decision.’
According to the outlet, several other laid-off BlueCross employees have also filed a class action lawsuit against the company over similar complaints.