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Hershey lawsuit overview:
- Who: Plaintiffs Jenna Clancy, Adrienne Karim and Gregg Welte filed a lawsuit against The Hershey Co.
- Why: The plaintiffs claim they were fired after they declined to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Where: The lawsuit is not in federal court in Michigan.
Three former Hershey employees are suing the company over their firings due to not getting the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was originally filed in circuit court in Ottawa County, Michigan, but was removed to Michigan federal court after Karim was determined to not have a residence or connection to Michigan, according to a filing from Hershey.
The three plaintiffs filed exemptions to the COVID vaccine requirement but were notified that those exemptions were denied in November 2021 before they were terminated from the company on Jan. 29, 2022.
The employees had claimed the firing violated Michigan’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, but the removal claims from Hershey would mean that act does not apply.
Fired employees asked for back pay, forward pay, reinstatement and damages
The former Hershey employees asked for “compensatory damages they have incurred as a direct and proximate result, including for monetary loss and non-monetary loss, exemplary and punitive damages, prejudgment interest, declaratory relief, reinstatement, attorneys’ fees and costs, and such other relief as in law or equity may pertain.”
Hershey paid Clancy an annual base salary of $81,570.70, Welte an annual base salary of $146,784.83 and Karim an annual base salary of $110,000 at the time of the firings, according to the Hershey lawsuit response. That means all meet the $75,000 requirement that the case be removed to federal court and out of the circuit court, according to Hershey’s response.
Many lawsuits have been filed against companies, governments and other employees over concerns related to COVID-19 vaccine requirements and the dangers of the vaccine.
Have you been discriminated against for trying to use an exception to a vaccine mandate? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Noah S. Hurwitz and Brendan J. Childree of Hurwitz Law PLLC.
Hershey is represented by Stephanie L. Sweitzer, Michael S. Burkhardt, Ali M. Kliment and Shelby Krafka of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP.
The Hershey vaccine lawsuit is Clancy, et al. v. The Hershey Co., Case No. 1:23-cv-00598, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Southern Division.
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3 thoughts onHershey lawsuit claims company fired employees for requesting religious COVID vaccine exemptions
I have been boycotting Hershey due to the firings and won’t consider buying another product until I hear of a public apology and compensation and reinstatement of the employees. Although it may be permanent due to the Trans garbage I read on this site. I couldn’t buy a product from a company that doesn’t know the difference between a sick man and a woman.
Add me please
I’m an Event staff member at the Milton Hershey school, which mandated COVID vaccines !! I couldn’t go back to work because they were giving us Johnson and Johnson vaccine and I was too afraid to take it !!!!