Illinois: Federal Judge Blocks Hospital From Putting Unvaccinated Workers on Unpaid Leave

A federal judge temporarily blocked an Illinois hospital system from allegedly putting workers with religious exemptions on unpaid leave. A Chicago federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday preventing NorthShore University HealthSystem from placing 14 employees with religious objections to getting mandated COVID-19 vaccines on unpaid leave. In late October, several employees at the Chicago-area NorthShore filed a legal complaint against the company, arguing that the firm’s vaccine mandate discriminated against them by forcing them to decide between a vaccine and their jobs. Liberty Counsel, which is representing the 14 health care workers, said in an emailed statement last…