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.
In a ruling issued on Saturday, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes upheld Houston Methodist Hospital’s policy mandating employees be vaccinated.
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.
In a statement, Houston Methodist called the lawsuit frivolous and said it was pleased with the judge’s decision. It said that 24,947 hospital employees have met the requirements.
A lawyer for the hospital workers who brought the lawsuit did not immediately respond to request for comment.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
