A federal jury has ruled in favor of six fired Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) workers who sued the agency for losing their jobs over a COVID vaccine mandate.
Each of the six workers is set to receive more than $1 million in compensation following the lawsuit.
Driving the news: The employees had claimed religious exemptions to the vaccine mandate, asserting they were not accommodated by the transit agency and subsequently terminated.
- Although BART initially granted vaccine exemptions, the workers argued they were not accommodated as required. Accommodations could have included working from home or undergoing regular COVID testing.
The big picture: Overall, BART is now required to pay a total of $7.8 million to the six former employees as a result of the jury’s decision.
- Despite the significant financial implications, BART’s board of directors had previously voted in favor of the vaccine mandate in 2021.
