A former warehouse manager at the MGM Grand Detroit was awarded $133,000 by a federal jury for his unfair dismissal after losing his job for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

A former worker at the MGM Grand Detroit who lost his job after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccination on religious grounds was awarded $133,000 on Thursday by a federal jury.

Harry Yeremian tried to get an exemption as he was Catholic, and he thought that the vaccine contained stem cells from abortions. His employer fired the warehouse manager after the passing of the deadline for all non-union workers to get the jab.

Approximately 80% of the property’s workers were part of the union, and didn’t need to adhere to the company’s vaccination requests. Yeremian filed a lawsuit against his former employer in December 2022.

$100,000 is damages and the remaining $33,000 was back pay up until March 2022

Of the $133,000 the jury awarded Yeremian on Thursday, $100,000 is damages and the remaining $33,000 was back pay up until March 2022 when the plaintiff got employment at the Hollywood Casino in Greektown, where he still works today.

A member of Yeremian’s legal team said that no company has the right to make a person “choose between his or her career and conscience.” He went on to say that the verdict showcased that religious discrimination doesn’t have a role in modern society.