Judge tosses Houston hospital workers' lawsuit over vaccine requirement

Reuters

Published Jun 13, 2021 05:23PM ET

Updated Jun 13, 2021 06:10PM ET

By Karen Freifeld

(Reuters) -A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by 117 workers at a Texas hospital over its requirement that they be vaccinated against COVID-19.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes upheld Houston Methodist Hospital's policy mandating employees be vaccinated, in a ruling issued on Saturday.

Jennifer Bridges, a nurse and the lead plaintiff in the case, had argued that if she was fired for refusing a vaccine, it should be considered wrongful termination. She also said the vaccines are experimental and dangerous.

The judge did not find merit in either argument.

"Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus," Hughes wrote in a five-page decision. "It is a choice made to keep staff, patients and their families safer.

"Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a Covid-19 vaccine; however, if she refuses, she will simply need to work somewhere else."

The judge said Texas law only protected employees from being fired for refusing to commit an illegal act and that the requirement is consistent with public policy.

Three vaccines received emergency authorization in the United States, though they have not received full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also said last month that U.S. companies can mandate that employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 with certain exceptions.