Comply with "Science" or Else
Case Alert on Zimmerman v PeaceHealth
Silent Majority Foundation (SMF) remains dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of hard-working individuals. One of our most significant efforts, the Zimmerman v. PeaceHealth lawsuit, exemplifies this mission. This battle stands at the intersection of faith, medical freedom, and employee rights, impacting the livelihoods of over 50 Washingtonians who refused to put an untested and ineffective substance in their body to keep their job with PeaceHealth.
If you're learning about this lawsuit for the first time, this post will explain the case, its claims, and provide you with the latest case update on this critical medical freedom case.
The Origins of Zimmerman v. PeaceHealth
On December 12, 2022, SMF filed a lawsuit on behalf of 53 PeaceHealth employees who were placed on indefinite administrative leave without pay after choosing not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The crux of the issue lies with PeaceHealth’s refusal to accommodate employees who sought and received religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate.
This lawsuit calls for injunctive relief to end the indefinite unpaid leave and restore employment, along with financial damages for those affected. However, the stakes go beyond employment status. Zimmerman v. PeaceHealth challenges broader issues of workplace discrimination, medical and religious freedom, and the ethics of corporate vaccine policies.
Legal Progress and Key Claims
The Zimmerman case is advancing, and it rests on three pivotal legal claims:
1. Failure to Accommodate
Although PeaceHealth granted religious exemptions to employees, they refused to provide accommodations. Instead, the organization claimed accommodating unvaccinated employees would create an “undue hardship.”
It is PeaceHealth’s burden to prove that accommodating these employees posed genuine operational challenges. The court previously denied PeaceHealth’s Motion to Dismiss, stating the defendants had not met their burden of proof to dismiss the matter.
2. Unlawful Employment Discrimination
The lawsuit argues that PeaceHealth acted in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by discriminating against employees on the basis of their religious beliefs. This claim was also permitted to move forward, as the court refused PeaceHealth's request to dismiss it.
3. Claims for Injunctive Relief on Individual Accommodation
While the court dismissed claims regarding PeaceHealth’s ongoing vaccine mandate, individual claims for reasonable accommodations remain alive. This reinforces the focus on whether PeaceHealth could have reasonably adjusted workplace policies to support employees exempt from vaccination.
Additional Allegations of Harassment and Hostile Work Environment
Employees described facing harassment and intimidation within the workplace related to their exemption status. Notably, PeaceHealth did not challenge SMF’s hostile work environment claims, which remain active and integral to the case.
Case Update
On April 11th, 2025 SMF filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. SMF has discussed the importance of “dispositive motions,” which we’ve called “tap out” motions. These motions allow the court to definitively determine legal issues that would result in either dismissal of the case, or, if the motion is granted, SMF/our clients will win the issues we presented. If SMF can win the issues addressed in this Motion for Summary Judgment, the judge would, through that decision, determine that PeaceHealth violated our clients’ civil rights by putting them on Administrative Leave and failing to preserve their jobs; we would also win the issue of discriminatory treatment by PeaceHealth employees. Along with the Motion, our 286 page Declaration included PeaceHealth communications discussing leave, emails from our clients discussing the harm incurred, and several other supporting documents of importance to the case.
What Happens Next?
PeaceHealth filed a cross-Motion for Summary Judgment on April 11. If they win, they win these issues and the case would terminate. Of course, SMF would discuss the importance of appealing that decision with our clients.
Regardless, the next immediate steps include two more motions related to these issues before the judge reviews all motions and issues a decision. Twenty-one days after filing, we will file a Response to PeaceHealth's Motion, and they will file a Response to our Motion for Summary Judgment. In 28 days (7 days post response), we will file a Reply, which will address how PeaceHealth Responds to our Response Motion; PeaceHealth will file a Reply motion, as well. After that, the judge will decide the motions or will grant our request to have a hearing on these motions.
What SMF is Fighting For
Here’s what Silent Majority Foundation hopes to achieve through this lawsuit:
End of Unpaid Leave: Bring employees back to their positions and provide the financial stability they lost.
Damages for Losses: Compensation for the financial hardship, mistreatment, and mental strain endured by the impacted employees.
A Precedent for Accommodation: Hold corporations accountable for respecting religious exemptions and other protected rights under the law.
This isn’t just about PeaceHealth. A legal victory here can set an example for businesses and other institutions to uphold the Constitutional rights of its employees.
How You Can Support
Silent Majority Foundation can’t fight this alone. We depend on grassroots support to continue advocating for medical freedom and constitutional rights. Here’s how you can stand with SMF and support this case:
Donate to the Case: Financial contributions help cover the ongoing litigation costs, including court filings, legal research, and expert testimony.
Become an SMF Member: Membership dollars fuel the broader fight against institutional and governmental overreach, ensuring future initiatives like Zimmerman v. PeaceHealth move forward.
Spread Awareness: Share this story with your network to help educate others about the importance of this fight for medical and religious freedom.
We appreciate your support! As you can see, SMF has done a TON of work to put these documents together, and we anticipate that the Response motion will be equally time consuming. We ask that you continue to share SMF's work and message with a request that friends and family follow and support (financially contribute) to help us continue our mission. But, we REALLY need your support as we’re only 44% funded for the resources needed to see this case to completion. That is for this case, alone, and several other cases are equally underfunded. As a non-profit organization that refuses state or federal dollars, YOUR contributions keep SMF moving. We greatly appreciate you!! THANK YOU!!!!
Thank you for all your work! Just joined today as a member. Washington State is a scary place to live with Olympia unaccountable and out of control.