Michigan hospital pays $410K to settle lawsuit by physician assistant fired over transgender policy

A Michigan hospital has agreed to pay $410,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a physician assistant who said she was fired after refusing to comply, due to her faith convictions, with workplace policies related to transgender patients, according to court filings and statements from the parties.Valerie Kloosterman sued University of Michigan Health-West after she was terminated in August 2021."All I wanted to do was provide the best care possible to my patients without being forced to violate my Christian beliefs," Kloosterman said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.CHRISTIAN SCHOOL CHAPLAIN WINS SETTLEMENT AFTER FIRING OVER LGBTQ SERMONFirst Liberty Institute, which represents Kloosterman, said she had received positive performance reviews throughout her employment before raising faith-based objections to mandatory gender identity training.The organization told Fox News Digital Kloosterman was fired three weeks after requesting a religious accommodation from finishing a mandatory training that required her to affirm statements about gender identity that were in violation of her Christian faith.According to First Liberty Institute, UMHW made no effort to accommodate her beliefs. She sued in October 2022.CHRISTIAN LIFEGUARD WHO REFUSED PRIDE FLAG DUTIES AND WAS SUSPENDED IS NOW HEADED TOWARD TRIALThe lawsuit says University of Michigan Health-West officials called her to a meeting, where they disparaged her religious beliefs, called her "evil" and a "liar," told her she could not bring her Christian beliefs into the workplace, and accused her of contributing to suicides among individuals with gender dysphoria.If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).The settlement, according to the legal group, calls for UMHW to make a religious accommodation policy that complies with the law, inform and train all employees, give reasonable religious accommodations without retribution to those who request it, and pay the $410,000 in damages and fees to Ms.