Navy personnel denied religious accommodations from COVID-19 vaccine reach settlement – Washington Examiner

The Navy has agreed to a settlement with a group of current and former service members who were denied religious exemptions from the coronavirus vaccine.

First Liberty Institute and Hacker Stephens LLP, which is representing 4,300 sailors and Navy SEALs in the case, announced the settlement on Wednesday.

As a part of the settlement agreement, the Navy agrees to re-review the personnel records of all Class Members to ensure that the U.S. Navy has permanently removed records indicating administrative separation processing or proceedings, formal counseling, and non-judicial punishment actions taken against the Class Member solely on the basis of non-compliance with the COVID-19 Mandate and adverse information related to non-compliance with the COVID-19 Mandate, according to a release from First Liberty Institute.

The Navy has also agreed to post a statement affirming its respect for religious service members, provide more training for commanders who review these requests, and pay $1.5 million in attorneys fees.

This has been a long and difficult journey, but the Navy SEALs never gave up, Danielle Runyan, chairwoman of the Military Practice Group and senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, said.We are thrilled that those members of the Navy who were guided by their conscience and steadfast in their faith will not be penalized in their Navy careers.

The case centers on the militarys mandate to get the coronavirus vaccine, which was ultimately rescinded, though not before thousands of U.S. service members were discharged due to their refusal to get the vaccination. A majority of the service members who sought religious exemptions were denied, which prompted several legal challenges, including the one settled on Wednesday.

The suit, initially filed in November 2021, began with 35 Navy SEALs, and the firm ultimately expanded the case into a class action on behalf of about 4,300 Navy SEALs and sailors.

Runyan told the Washington Examiner that the case could set a precedent for future situations regarding religious freedom.

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Weve never had a class action situation against the military in the history of the military, and here we are. And because of that, the case law that we achieved, if people need to pursue relief in defense of their religious liberty rights going forward, they can rely on this, she said.

A Navy spokesperson directed the Washington Examiner to the Department of Justice.

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Navy personnel denied religious accommodations from COVID-19 vaccine reach settlement - Washington Examiner