Plaintiff alleges that her religious rights were violated when she was terminated for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. DeAnna Gooch filed a complaint against Kaiser Permanente in the United States District Court for the District of Georgia on February 3, 2026, alleging that her termination was unlawful.
The case centers around Gooch’s claim that she submitted a request for religious accommodation to be exempt from Kaiser Permanente’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. She asserts that her request was denied on October 3, 2023, and she was subsequently terminated the following day. Gooch contends that this action violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. The complaint highlights that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) advises employers to assume an employee’s request for religious accommodation is based on sincerely held beliefs unless proven otherwise. Despite this guidance, Gooch claims Kaiser Permanente did not engage in a meaningful dialogue regarding her accommodation request and failed to provide reasonable alternatives such as teleworking or mask-wearing.
Gooch had been employed by Kaiser Permanente since August 29, 2022, in a remote position as a Call Center Appointment Service Coordinator. Her responsibilities included utilizing electronic medical records systems and coordinating with external specialists while maintaining patient confidentiality under HIPAA regulations. The job description did not mention any requirement for COVID-19 vaccination. Gooch maintains that her religious beliefs preclude her from receiving vaccinations and argues that other employees with similar roles were granted accommodations without undue hardship to the company.
In her lawsuit, Gooch accuses Kaiser Permanente of failing to accommodate her religious beliefs and retaliating against her by terminating her employment. She argues that the company’s actions were discriminatory and intentional, resulting in emotional distress, loss of reputation, and financial hardship due to unemployment. Furthermore, she claims disparate treatment discrimination occurred because other unvaccinated employees without similar religious beliefs were allowed exemptions.
Gooch seeks compensatory damages for non-monetary losses such as emotional distress and humiliation caused by the alleged discrimination. Additionally, she requests exemplary and punitive damages to deter future violations by Kaiser Permanente or other employers who might disregard employees’ religious rights under Title VII. She also demands prejudgment interest along with fees and costs associated with pursuing legal action against the defendant.
Representing herself “in pro per,” DeAnna Gooch filed this case identified as Case No: 1:26-cv-00608-SEG-JSA.
Source: 126cv00608_Deanna_Gooch_v_Kaiser_Permamente_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia.pdf
