February 6, 2025
A registered nurse has filed a lawsuit against Saint Peter’s University Hospital, alleging religious discrimination after being denied a religious exemption from the hospital’s mandatory Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (TDAP) vaccine policy. The plaintiff, Shelby Swanton, claims the hospital violated her civil rights by forcing her to choose between her job and her religious beliefs.
According to the complaint, Swanton had been employed by the hospital since 2015 and had previously received religious exemptions from other vaccine requirements, including those for COVID-19 and influenza. However, in January 2025, she was informed that Saint Peter’s would no longer accept religious exemptions for the TDAP vaccine, leaving her with no option but to comply or face termination.
The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey, alleges that the hospital’s policy is in direct violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) and the New Jersey Constitution. Swanton, represented by Coyle Law Group, asserts that the hospital failed to provide reasonable accommodations for her religious beliefs, despite having done so in the past.
“For years, the hospital determined that my religious objection to vaccinations was valid and accommodated me accordingly,” Swanton stated in the complaint. “Now, they are suddenly refusing to accept my exemption, forcing me to violate my faith or lose my livelihood.”
Swanton further claims that when she reported for work on January 25, 2025, she found her name missing from the assignment sheet and her schedule for the following week crossed out. She was subsequently sent home and informed that failure to comply with the vaccination policy by February 10 would result in “corrective action up to and including termination.”
The lawsuit is being financially supported by the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice (NJCVC), a group that advocates for personal and religious exemptions to vaccine mandates. The coalition has been vocal in its opposition to vaccine requirements that do not allow for religious accommodations and has pledged to assist healthcare workers facing similar situations.
The complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as a declaratory judgment affirming that the hospital’s policy violates state law. Swanton is also seeking an injunction to prevent Saint Peter’s from enforcing the alleged discriminatory policy.
Saint Peter’s University Hospital has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. The case is expected to draw significant attention as religious exemptions for vaccine mandates continue to be a contentious legal and ethical issue in the healthcare industry.
This is a developing story.