Religion kept woman from getting flu shot needed for hospital job, lawsuit claims

[trotsky]

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2018/02/woman_sues_owosso_hospital_for.html

OWOSSO, MI - A woman is suing a hospital in Owosso over claims she wasn't allowed to work there because her religion required her to refuse a flu shot.

A lawsuit filed on Feb. 13 in Detroit U.S. District Court by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Yvonne Bair claims Memorial Healthcare violated Bair's civil rights by failing to accommodate her because she is a follower of Jesus Christ.

However, the hospital defends it's decision, saying it followed proper protocol.

"In this case, Memorial Healthcare's position is that the applicant refused to follow policies intended to protect and safeguard patient and staff health and safety," Memorial officials said in a statement. "Our policies regarding flu vaccinations follow the Centers for Disease Control recommendations and direction as well as the recommendations from the American Hospital Association and our own medical staff."

Religious freedom shouldn't give you permission to be a disease vector.

[struggle4progress]

1. I don't think she has a case

[AJT]

4. I hope not, but I wouldn't be suprised if it got pushed to the supreme court.

We have 5 religious conservatives on the court so there may be people who feel confident in getting the ruling they want, that religion trumps all. The bakery case will give them their queue.

[procon]

2. Why would she choose a line of work when she knew that she would

be disqualified for employment? Sounds like she's looking to score a little cash by suing the hospital.

[Turbineguy]

3. My job requires me to

have a brain. They don't stop me from having my brain removed. But, if I have my brain removed, I can't do my job. It's not that complicated.

[Atticus]

5. So, what's next--- Christian Science "doctors" suing for a professional license their

religion forbids them to use?

[MineralMan]

6. What branch of Christianity prohibits vaccinations?

If she belongs to one of those, then she needs to find another career. It's that simple. Her religious beliefs do not give her the right to endanger others. No religion I know of has that belief.

Let her seek another kind of employment. She's in the wrong field if she thinks endangering patients is part of her job.

The article says nothing about her denomination. She just follows Jesus Christ, she says. Well there's nothing recorded about Jesus ever saying a damned thing about vaccinations. If he said anything at all, he would never have known that vaccinations would be available.

She's fresh out of luck.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Christian Scientists and the Dutch Reformed Church oppose vaccination,

as do a small number of the fringiest sects. Jehovah's Witnesses used to be against it but their position has changed when they figured out that no blood was exchanged (they have a thing about blood). I agree that if she belongs to a denomination whose doctrines include an opposition to vaccinations she should have gone into another line of work.

[MineralMan]

8. That woman didn't state her denomination.

And, as you say, if you can't follow commonsense medical requirements for your work, then you need to find another career. Phooey, I say.