A Christian physician assistant has received a $410,000 settlement from the University of Michigan Health–West after alleging she was fired for refusing to comply with workplace policies concerning transgender patients on religious grounds.
Valerie Kloosterman, who worked at the hospital for 17 years, sued the health system after her termination in August 2021. She claimed she was dismissed for seeking religious exemptions that would allow her to avoid referring patients for gender transition surgeries or using preferred pronouns such as 'they' if it conflicted with her Christian beliefs.
Her legal representation, the First Liberty Institute, announced the settlement on Wednesday. Kloosterman stated that her intention was to "provide the best care possible to my patients without being forced to violate my Christian beliefs." She added that the settlement ensures that "providers of faith" can receive religious accommodations, allowing them to provide care consistent with their beliefs.
Kayla Toney, counsel at First Liberty, asserted that "Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating against and punishing employees for their faith." She described Kloosterman as an "exceptional physician assistant" and emphasized that employers should not terminate employees based on their sincere religious beliefs.
Kloosterman filed her lawsuit in October 2022, alleging that hospital officials had insulted her religious beliefs during a meeting. She testified in March before the Religious Liberty Commission that she had treated gay and lesbian patients for years without issue. Kloosterman stated she had offered to use patients' names instead of their preferred pronouns to accommodate their wishes.
According to Kloosterman's testimony, a hospital official told her that refusing to use a patient's preferred pronouns would result in their suicide and that she would be held responsible. She also claimed she was informed she could not bring her Bible to work.
Kloosterman has since found employment at a different healthcare facility, where she continues to serve patients from diverse backgrounds. The settlement reportedly vindicates Kloosterman's professional record and aims to protect other healthcare providers from similar alleged discrimination. The new guidelines at University of Michigan Health–West are said to allow employees to opt out of participating in or assisting with gender transition treatments if it conflicts with their faith, and to not be required to use pronouns that violate their religious beliefs or conscience.