Catholic nurse practitioner Gudrun Kristofersdottir has recently reached a settlement in a religious discrimination lawsuit against CVS, as confirmed by her legal team.

The Lawsuit and Termination

Kristofersdottir’s legal battle began in 2024 when she was terminated from her position at a CVS MinuteClinic in Florida.

Her dismissal came after she refused to prescribe contraceptives or medications that could cause abortions, citing her religious beliefs.

For nearly eight years, from 2014 to 2022, Kristofersdottir had been granted a religious accommodation that allowed her to avoid prescribing such medications.

Instead, when patients requested them, she would refer them to other providers who could fulfill those prescriptions.

CVS Revokes Religious Accommodations

In 2021, CVS made the decision to revoke all religious accommodations for its employees, including Kristofersdottir’s.

This decision led to her firing in April 2022, sparking the lawsuit that would follow.

Legal Standpoint and Arguments

Represented by the First Liberty Institute, Kristofersdottir’s legal team argued that CVS had acted unlawfully by withdrawing these accommodations, especially since there were multiple alternatives the pharmacy could have considered.

Stephanie Taub, an attorney with First Liberty, called CVS’s actions “illegal,” saying that the company could have easily found ways to accommodate Kristofersdottir without forcing her to compromise her religious beliefs.

These options included offering her a position in a virtual role, transferring her to a different clinic, or continuing to honor her accommodation that had worked for years.

Taub further emphasized that CVS’s blanket refusal to provide accommodations sent a harmful message to religious healthcare workers, implying they weren’t welcome at the company.