Nurse Files Religious Discrimination Lawsuit After Refusing Vaccine

In December of 2025, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported that it had sued an Illinois-based hospital system on behalf of a nurse who had previously refused the COVID-19 vaccine. These kinds of cases have become quite common in the United States, and it is incredible to see that they show no sign of slowing down. Even though the pandemic occurred many years ago, there are obviously countless plaintiffs who believe their religious freedoms were violated by their employers when they refused the vaccine. 

Nurse Allegedly Granted “Lifetime Exemption” to Flu Vaccine Before Employer Went Back on Promise

According to the EEOC, the employer of this nurse offered her a “lifetime exemption” for all flu vaccines based on her religious beliefs. Like many religious individuals, this nurse raised objections to flu vaccines because of her faith. Some, particularly Christian groups, object to vaccines because of the use of stem cells during the research and development stage. However, some religious individuals object to vaccines on broader terms, arguing that their religious teachings and texts forbid the use of vaccines. 

Whatever the case may be, the fact that this nurse received a “lifetime exemption” from flu vaccine requirements makes this case particularly notable. Many people forget that although COVID-19 was certainly one of the worst communicable diseases we have seen in recent years, it is essentially just a mutated version of the common cold. WebMD states that scientists first discovered a human coronavirus in 1965, noting that it caused “a common cold.” 

One might argue that the blanket exemption that the nurse received should have covered all forms of common colds and coronaviruses in the future. However, the employer changed its stance when the pandemic began and required the nurse to get the COVID-19 vaccine. When the nurse once again raised her religious objections, the employer terminated her. 

Working in a Medical Setting Does Not Affect Religious Objections to Vaccine Requirements

One might argue that because this nurse was working in a medical setting, she should be held to higher standards in regard to vaccine requirements. However, there is nothing in US law that supports this. All employees should receive equal treatment, and this is something guaranteed by some of the most basic civil rights laws in the United States. 

Even though this nurse was treating potentially vulnerable people, the EEOC contends that her religious rights were still important. In other words, her right to exercise her religious freedoms outweighed patients’ rights to be treated by a vaccinated nurse. 

By now, case law has clearly set a precedent, one that allows religious individuals to refuse vaccine requirements no matter what. While the outcome of this lawsuit is not yet clear, one would assume that this nurse will receive exactly the same treatment as the countless other plaintiffs who have experienced success when filing similar lawsuits. 

That being said, a handful of plaintiffs have lost similar religious discrimination lawsuits, and there is always the possibility that this nurse will also fail to convince the court. 

The Goal of the Universal Life Church’s Blog

Each month, various lawsuits test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there are still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.