The University of Colorado’s Anschutz School of Medicine recently agreed to settle a lawsuit by paying out $10 million. The settlement addressed claims that the university denied religious exemptions for vaccines under its previously enforced mandate.
In September 2024, an appeals court ruled against CU, stating that the policy denying broad religious exemptions violated First Amendment rights due to perceived religious animus and unequal treatment of different belief systems regarding vaccine exemptions. Specifically, the decision highlighted instances where Catholic applicants were denied exemptions while others might have been considered more favorably.
The university initially implemented a mandate in April 2021 requiring staff and students on its campuses—including Anschutz Medical Campus—to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. After some adjustments, including allowing limited religious accommodation under certain conditions, the appeals court ultimately concluded that these exceptions did not meet constitutional standards for religious freedom protection.
CU now agrees to provide equal treatment in considering both medical and religious exemptions moving forward, ensuring that requests are handled uniformly without making judgments on belief sincerity or prioritizing secular justifications. The settlement aims to compensate affected individuals whose careers were impacted by the controversial policies during their enforcement period.
