UNC Health Rex to Create New Religious Accommodation Policy After Federal Vaccine Lawsuit Settlement
Raleigh, NC – March 14, 2026 – UNC Health Rex will create a new religious accommodation policy after settling a federal COVID-19 vaccine lawsuit.
UNC Health Rex in Raleigh has agreed to implement a new standalone policy addressing religious accommodation requests after settling a federal lawsuit related to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Settlement With EEOC
According to WRAL, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Rex Healthcare on behalf of a former employee who was fired in November 2021 after her requests for a religious exemption to the hospital’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement were denied.
The case has now been resolved through a $150,000 settlement. More than $85,000 of that amount is designated as back pay to the former employee, based on settlement documents cited in the report.
As part of the agreement, UNC Health Rex must develop a clear, standalone policy outlining how employees can request religious accommodations. The policy must detail the request process, require written documentation of approvals or denials, provide explanations for denials, list factors used in decision-making, and explain how employees may seek reconsideration.
Required Policy and Training Changes
The settlement also requires the hospital to implement annual training for human resources and employee relations staff on handling religious accommodation requests. The new policy must be created within 30 days.
In a statement to WRAL, a UNC Health spokesperson said the health system complies with federal law regarding religious accommodations and described the vaccine mandate period as a time when hospitals nationwide faced difficult decisions aimed at protecting patients and staff during the pandemic.
The EEOC’s Charlotte District Office stated that employers must comply with federal civil rights law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, even during public health emergencies.
Local Impact
UNC Health Rex operates its main campus on Lake Boone Trail in Raleigh and employs thousands of workers across Wake County. The policy changes will apply to employees within the system and formalize how religious exemption requests are evaluated going forward.
The case represents the first religious discrimination settlement related to COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the EEOC’s Charlotte district, according to the agency.
What Residents Should Know
The settlement does not change current patient services at UNC Health Rex. It focuses on internal employment policies and compliance with federal workplace law. Residents who receive care at Rex facilities are not affected in terms of access to hospital services.
If you have urgent symptoms, seek medical care. For general questions, talk with a licensed clinician.
