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from https://www.foxnews.com/us/tennessee-woman-awarded-700k-fired-refusing-covid-19-vaccine-requirement

Tennessee woman awarded nearly $700K after being fired for refusing
COVID-19 vaccine requirement
Federal jury awards former BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee employee
Tanja Benton over $687,000
Landon Mion By Landon Mion Fox News
Published July 2, 2024 6:05am EDT | Updated July 2, 2024 6:09am EDT

Fox News Flash top headlines for July 1
A Tennessee woman who was fired from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
(BCBST) for refusing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees has received a settlement worth nearly $700,000.

A federal jury found that Tanja Benton "proved by a preponderance of the evidence" that her decision to refuse the vaccine was based on a
"sincerely held religious belief," according to the settlement obtained
by WTVC.

For a total of over $687,000, the jury awarded Benton more than $177,000
in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive
damages.

Benton, who worked at BCBST from 2005 through November 2022 primarily as
a bio statistical research scientist, said in her lawsuit that her job
did not include regular contact with people, WTVC reported. She said she
only interacted with 10 to 12 clients each year and sometimes those
occasional interactions were not in person.

COVID VACCINE COMPANIES TOLD TO FOCUS ON KP.2 FOR FALL SHOTS, PER FDA ANNOUNCEMENT

BlueCross BlueShield
A federal jury found that Tanja Benton "proved by a preponderance of the evidence" that her decision to refuse the vaccine mandate by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee was based on a "sincerely-held religious
belief." (Getty Images)

The lawsuit also noted that Benton never had contact with patients as
part of her job.

Benton said she worked from home for a year and a half during the
pandemic, and didn't have any complaints until BCBST announced employee
vaccine requirements.

She refused to get the vaccine, purporting in her lawsuit that she
"firmly believes, based upon personal research, that all COVID-19
vaccines are derived from aborted fetus cell lines." Benton said she
"cannot in good conscience" receive the vaccine because it "would not
only defile her body but also anger and dishonor God."

VATICAN SAYS IT'S 'MORALLY ACCEPTABLE' TO GET CORONAVIRUS VACCINES USING ABORTION CELL LINES

Following BCBST's announcement of a vaccine requirement, Benton
submitted a request for a religious exemption, but the company denied it
and told her she could not keep her job unless she complied.

COVID vaccine
The jury awarded Tanja Benton more than $177,000 in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages. (iStock)

Benton appealed and explained she did not come into contact with people
at her job, but was allegedly told there are no exceptions for anyone
with her job title. It was also suggested that she start looking for
another job, according to the lawsuit.

BCBST ultimately fired Benton, which led her to file the federal lawsuit.

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"The vaccine requirement was the best decision for the health and safety
of our employees and members – some of whom are the most vulnerable in
the state - and our communities," BCBST previously told WTVC. "We
appreciate our former employees’ service to our members and communities throughout their time with BlueCross."

Fox News Digital reached out to BCBST, but did not hear back by time of publication.


Conversation2K Comments
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bjlevine
4 hours ago

I don't have a problem with the vaccine. I have a huge problem with
companies (or governments) requiring people to get the vaccine or lose
their job.


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694

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t59h
3 hours ago

The core problem with the vaccine is that it is NOT a vaccine. Real
vaccines prevents the disease and the spread of the disease - this
concoction did neither. But since the CDC was allowed to call it a
"vaccine", it made it easier for companies and governments to mandate
it, regardless of the subst...

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455

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18 replies
mr.drago
3 hours ago

Well said. It should be up to individuals, not some mandate that
threatens one's job. I took the first dose (no others or booster) of
the Pfizer for a good job that I thought would be my last before
retiring, as it was required since it was a foreign-owned company doing
work for the government. ...

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dvankeuren
2 hours ago

Should not need a religious exemption. A personal exemption should have
been enough, especially given that none of those vaccines were tested
near enough to prove their safety.


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373

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Dm1217
2 hours ago

The US got everything wrong about COVID, literally EVERYTHING. You could
say it was because this was a new disease, but Sweden got everything
right. They didn’t destroy their economy, didn’t destroy a generation of children, didn’t use authoritarianism to shove a vaccine down people’s throats, didn...See more

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12 replies
speakingtoyou
1 hour ago

If it had been Trump instead of Biden that mandated this harmful so
called "Vaccine" there would be a running count on every news station highlighting the "Vaccine Injured".


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Heavy_weather
3 hours ago

This is a good start. Keep it rolling as many thousands of people with
valid, sincere reasons for requesting an exemption were fired, even when accommodations could have been made.

Those thousands are due justice.


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twalters1214
1 hour ago

It shouldn't even be a religious exemption. There was NO reason that an employer would need to mandate that vaccine.


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oldguy1950
2 hours ago

Hopefully, this will inspire others to follow suit.


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