Woman Fired for Refusing COVID Shots Challenges Denial of Unemployment Benefits in Federal Court

Rebecca Abdo was fired from her job and then denied Employment Insurance benefits after a religious objection to COVID-19 shots in her workplace. She has filed a legal action in Federal Court on May 12, 2023. Courtesy of Rebecca Abdo

A Calgary woman who was denied unemployment benefits after being fired for not having a COVID-19 shot has filed an application in Federal Court for judicial review.

Rebecca Abdo is a married, devout Christian who applied for a religious exemption after her employer, Canadian Blood Services (CBS), implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy. Abdo, who had worked for the company for more than 10 years as a medical laboratory technologist, was denied her exemption and then fired. The termination was recorded as “dismissal with cause.”