The US Navy on Wednesday settled a long-running lawsuit with SEALs and sailors who refused the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds.

The Washington Examiner

As a part of the agreement, the Navy will erase the record of sailors who declined to comply with the COVID-19 mandate and protect the servicemembers' careers against discrimination on the promotion board.

First Liberty

The agreement also requires the Navy to pay $1.5M in attorney's fees and publish a public statement on its website about its acceptance of religious beliefs.

USNI News

In 2021, then Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mandated COVID-19 jabs for servicemembers. However, a district judge in a class action suit quashed the Navy's ability to penalize servicemembers for refusing the mandate — the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling, while the US Supreme Court rejected it.

Military.com

Although the mandate was lifted in 2023, the Fifth Circuit said the case could continue so that the district court could "evaluate the Navy's broader religious discrimination because of the mandate."

The US Navy on Wednesday settled a long-running lawsuit with SEALs and sailors who refused the COVID-19 jab on religious grounds, according to lawyers representing the servicemembers.

Military.com #

In a statement from First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit that defends religious freedoms, and the law firm Hacker Stephens LLP, the Navy will expunge the record of sailors who refused the jab on religious grounds and has pledged not to discriminate against the servicemembers who did so for promotions for the next three years.

The agreement also requires the Navy to pay $1.5M in attorney's fees, as well as to publish a public statement on its website about its acceptance of religious beliefs, the lawyers said.

USNI News #

The lawsuit traces its way back to 2021 when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin mandated that all servicemembers be immunized against COVID-19. Soon after, a district judge in a class action suit then quashed the Navy's ability to punish servicemembers for refusing to be jabbed and this was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The US Supreme Court then rejected the finding and although the mandates were lifted in 2023, the Fifth Circuit said the case could continue so that the Navy's record on religious accommodations could be considered.

US Navy Settles COVID Vaccine Lawsuit with SEALs, Sailors

US Navy Settles COVID Vaccine Lawsuit with SEALs, Sailors Who Refused COVID-19 Jab

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US Navy Settles COVID Vaccine Lawsuit with SEALs, Sailors

US Navy Settles COVID Vaccine Lawsuit with SEALs, Sailors Who Refused COVID-19 Jab

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