Supreme Court Denies Appeal of AstraZeneca Employee Fired for Refusing the Shot for Religious Reasons

A former AstraZeneca employee sought unemployment benefits after she was fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.

The logo for AstraZeneca is seen outside its North America headquarters in Wilmington, Del., on March 22, 2021. Rachel Wisniewski/REUTERS

The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from a former AstraZeneca sales manager who was denied unemployment benefits after the vaccine maker fired her for declining on religious grounds to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

The British–Swedish company AstraZeneca makes the Oxford–AstraZeneca SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, which is marketed under the names Covishield and Vaxzevria. The company also makes Esomeprazole, which is sold as Nexium, a medication that treats gastroesophageal reflux disease.