A U.S. District Judge has ruled that a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination against Austal, a Mobile shipbuilder, can proceed to trial. The lawsuit claims Austal denied religious exemptions to employees who objected to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The judge rejected Austal's arguments that it couldn't reasonably accommodate the employees' religious beliefs, citing the company's failure to adequately demonstrate the cost and feasibility of alternative testing measures.
Brian Dassinger, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he is pleased that most of his clients will have their day in court.
The Mobile shipbuilder ordered employees to get vaccinated after the Biden administration mandated in 2021 that all federal employees and federal contractors take one of the vaccines. About 160 employees sought exemptions based on religious objections, but Austal denied all of them. The plaintiffs argue that Austal failed to make reasonable efforts to accommodate the workers’ religious beliefs. In court filings, the company argued that it sought advice from the Mobile County Health Department and other experts and determined that allowing employees to work at the shipyard without getting vaccinated would require biweekly testing. It determined the cost would be more than $1 million a year, according to court records.
“At this stage, Austal has not shown that it is entitled to summary judgment on the reasonable accommodation claim,” the judge wrote. “Although Austal has provided an estimated cost to accommodate, it has not provided evidence that would establish as aDuBose, likewise, rejected the plaintiffs’ argument that they were entitled to a judgement in their favor as a matter of law.
Religious Discrimination Austal Vaccine Mandate Lawsuit Court Ruling
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