A federal jury in Tennessee awarded Tanja Benton, a former employee of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee (BCBST), over $680,000 after the insurer did not accommodate her religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to documents obtained by Local 3 News.
Detailed list of damages = $687,240 in total
- $177,240 in back pay damages
- $10,000 in compensatory damages
- $500,000 in punitive damages (separate verdict)
Additionally, a group of employees terminated by BCBST over a Title VII violation regarding religious discrimination are also currently in a class action suit against the employer.
Between October and November 2021, BCBST terminated 41 of their 900 customer service employees after enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate and denying their religious exemptions.
