A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling in favor of the University of Kentucky, dismissing a lawsuit brought by a former employee who claimed that the university’s COVID-19 test-or-vaccinate policy violated federal prohibitions on religious discrimination in employment.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling on Oct. 11 that affirms a district court’s summary judgment against Laurie DeVore, who accused the University of Kentucky of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by refusing to exempt her from its COVID-19 protocols on religious grounds.
DeVore argued that the university’s requirement for employees to either get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing conflicted with her religious beliefs. She maintained that her faith prohibited her from medical testing without informed consent, describing the university’s mandate as manipulative and coercive, violating her bodily autonomy….