UT-Battelle, LLC, the contractor managing Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has agreed to pay over $2.8 million in a settlement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The payment resolves claims that the company discriminated against employees who requested religious exemptions from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that UT-Battelle violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on religion.
The case began with a 2021 Commissioner’s charge filed by then-Commissioner Andrea Lucas, leading the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate UT-Battelle and find "reasonable cause" that the company did not provide religious accommodations. A two-year conciliation agreement requires UT-Battelle to give back pay and compensatory damages to affected employees, update its religious accommodation policies, and provide related HR training. Acting EEOC Chair Lucas said, "While COVID-19 vaccine mandates were a novelty, our long-standing civil rights laws remain unchanged — absent an undue hardship, employers must provide a reasonable accommodation to its employees for their sincerely held religious beliefs," according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
"UT-Battelle has always respected the religious beliefs and practices of its employees," said Stephen Streiffer, President and CEO of UT-Battelle, in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announcement. He noted the challenges of the pandemic and the staff’s work to keep the lab running. "We appreciate the assistance of the EEOC in resolving these disputes, which allows us to move forward fully focused on our work for the nation," he added. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigates and can take legal action against employers for violations of federal employment nondiscrimination laws and coordinates federal efforts to address workplace discrimination.
