Three former employees have filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney World for allegedly violating their religious beliefs by firing them over their refusal to wear masks and get COVID-19 vaccines.
Barbara Andreas, Stephen Cribb and Adam Pajer filed the discrimination lawsuit on June 30.
The News & Observer reports that Andres and Cribb were fired in March and Pajer was let go in June. They had all worked for the company between seven and 20 years.
In November, Disney suspended their vaccine mandate after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis prohibited them.
Andreas had argued that the mandates violated her Christian religious beliefs, citing, among other issues, that the vaccine was made with aborted fetal tissue.
She had worked for the company for 17 years when they fired her.
“Religious creed includes my dress and my grooming practices, including what I put on my head or face,” Andreas asserted in the lawsuit. “Wearing a face covering is an affront of my Christian beliefs. Further, participating in a medical experiment, such as covid testing or vaccines, is also a violation of my religious beliefs.”
In December, Disney denied her religious exemption.
Disney said that “after careful review of the information you provided, we are unable to conclude that you are prevented from wearing a face cover due to a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance.”
According to the report, “The lawsuit claims that Disney’s ‘augmented protocols’ that were forced on nonvaccinated employees consisted of ‘harsh isolation and restrictions’ that caused ‘serious breathing’ and made it ‘nearly impossible to find a compliant manner and location in which to eat or drink while on shift.’”