Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, Pa., agreed to rehire six former employees who were fired in late 2013, early 2014 for refusing to get flu shots due to their religious beliefs, reports GoErie.com.
The agreement came on Tuesday as part of a settlement for a lawsuit filed on behalf of the workers by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September. Per the settlement, Saint Vincent must offer to reinstate each individual to their former job, providing the same pay and benefits. The Erie, Pa.-based hospital must also shell out $300,000 in back pay and compensatory damages according to the report.
The commission alleged Saint Vincent violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it fired the six employees for refusing flu shots after the hospital implemented a mandatory flu vaccination policy for employees. The group contends the hospital did not honor the employees' religious exemptions, yet granted medical exemptions to 14 other workers, according to the report.
"The consent decree filed this week between the EEOC and Saint Vincent Hospital does not constitute any admission of violations by Saint Vincent or a finding on the merits of the case," said Dan Laurent, a spokesman for Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network — Saint Vincent's parent organization — in an email to GoErie.com. "Although we have vigorously and respectfully disagreed with the EEOC's position and characterization of how employee claims outlined in this lawsuit were handled by the hospital, we have reached a resolution of the matter in the interest of avoiding the expense, delay and burden of further litigation on all parties."
More articles on human capital and risk:
Hospitals and unions: 11 recent conflicts, agreements
Union files NLRB complaint against Pomona Valley Hospital over quality concerns
6 healthcare organizations adding jobs