COVID – Gone (almost) but not Forgotten

A Chicago jury has ruled that the Chicago Transit Authority discriminated against an employee when they fired him for refusing to be vaccinated for COVID. He objected on the basis of his Catholic faith and (1) the suspicion that the vaccine was developed from aborted fetal tissue and (2) the belief that the vaccine could cause heart and lung problems. He was fired in 2022, and in August he was finally awarded $425,000 in damages. He sued under both Title VII and the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The latter was dismissed, but the award was made under Title VII. More suits are underway in the US.