Judge dismisses Lilly employees’ lawsuit over COVID-19 vaccines
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit by four Eli Lilly and Company employees who claimed the company forced them to get the COVID-19 vaccine against their religious beliefs.
In August 2021, Eli Lilly and Company announced that all U.S. employees would have to receive the vaccine by November 2021.
The mandate allowed for religious and medical exemptions to be made to those who filed requests by a set time. Those who chose to not be vaccinated “could anticipate being required to separate from the company by Nov. 16, 2021,” court documents say.
The four employees each applied for religious exemption and were given until Nov. 15 to secure a “non-customer-facing position in the company,” so as to not put customers and other employees at risk.
The suit says that the four employees were unable to secure remote positions, and elected to receive the vaccine. The employees are also still actively employed by Lilly.
The employees allege in the suit that Lilly discriminated against them by “‘forcing’” them to receive the vaccine and denying them reasonable employment accommodations.
Judge Sarah Barker dismissed the employees’ case “without prejudice,” ruling that the four could not prove any actual legal injury, since all received the vaccine and kept their jobs.