A federal jury in Detroit awarded more than $12 million Friday to a former Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) employee who was terminated after declining to get a COVID-19 vaccination, citing religious discrimination.
According to the verdict form, Lisa Domski, who worked at the insurance company for more than 30 years as an IT specialist, received $10 million in punitive damages against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The jury also awarded her approximately $1.7 million in lost wages and $1 million in noneconomic damages.
Newsweek contacted Blue Cross Blue Shield via email on Saturday for comment.
Domski claimed she was a victim of religious discrimination after the company denied her request for an exemption from its 2021 vaccine policy. She maintained that the requirement conflicted with her Catholic beliefs.
Court records show Domski worked 100% remotely during the pandemic and 75% remotely before COVID-19 emerged in 2020. Her attorney, Jon Marko, argued that even without vaccination, she posed no risk to others due to her remote work arrangement.
https://www.newsweek.com/woman-fired-refusing-covid-vaccine-wins-record-millions-1983294