Jury Rules in Favor of Freedom: Blue Cross BlueShield of Tennessee Ordered to Pay Almost $700,000 to Employee Fired for Refusing COVID Vaccine
In a landmark decision, a federal jury has ordered Blue Cross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) to pay nearly $700,000 to Tanja Benton, a former employee who was terminated for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine based on her religious beliefs.
Benton, who served as a Bio Statistical Research Scientist, asserts that her role involved minimal client interaction and no necessity for physical presence at medical facilities.
Throughout her 16-year tenure, Benton primarily worked independently and remotely, especially during the pandemic, when she executed her duties without issue from March 2020 to November 2021. Despite this, BCBST enforced a company-wide vaccine mandate in August 2021, requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated as a condition of continued employment.
Benton,
