CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Mercyhealth has agreed to a $1 million settlement and to reinstate employees who were fired for refusing to comply with the company's COVID-19 vaccine policy.

The settlement comes after an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which found reasonable cause to believe Mercyhealth discriminated against employees based on their religion, terminating their employment or subjecting them to a wage deduction.

The EEOC charged that Mercyhealth denied a religious accommodation to employees who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and would only allow them to work if they signed a form allowing the company to deduct a "vaccine incentive charge" of $60 a month from their paycheck.

Employees who did not get the vaccine or sign the form were

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