A dedicated employee of the Long Beach Harbor Department has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging that he was unfairly denied religious accommodations when he requested to be exempt from the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and alternative testing. Jeremy Groves, a Christian Scientist, has taken the case to the Los Angeles Superior Court, citing claims of religious discrimination, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination and retaliation, failure to engage in the interactive process, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Groves is seeking unspecified damages, and the Long Beach City Attorney’s Office has yet to respond.
Groves has devoted more than 25 years of his career to the Long Beach Harbor Department. In September 2021, he requested accommodations due to religious objections to the city’s vaccination mandate and weekly testing using saliva samples. According to the lawsuit, Groves’ religious beliefs prohibit him from providing bodily samples. In June 2022, he emailed the city’s in-house attorney, proposing six alternative forms of accommodation. However, the attorney responded that the city had already addressed his request and that the human resources department was following legal guidelines.
The lawsuit further claims that Groves has experienced significant stress, leading him to take a leave of absence, resulting in financial losses and the hindrance of retirement benefits. Despite the city’s lifting of the vaccination and testing mandates in November, Groves was not notified or involved in the necessary process to facilitate his return to work.
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