Pittsburgh Regional Transit employees fired over vaccination mandate file lawsuit

PITTSBURGH — Former employees of Pittsburgh Regional Transit who were terminated over vaccination status are filing a lawsuit against the company.

Jonathan Lutz was an employee for four years, until this March when he was fired because he refused to give the company his vaccination status when a mandate was put in place.

“We were called heroes and then we were just put in the fire,” Lutz said.

Lutz told Channel 11 two minutes is all the time it took for the Port Authority, now Pittsburgh Regional Transit, to fire him.

“Honestly I’ve just been trying not to go crazy driving my wife crazy and doing what I have to do to survive,” Lutz said.

For the last nine months, Lutz has met with other terminated workers to get together and file a discrimination class action lawsuit in federal court. That finally happened Tuesday.

“When Jim messaged us and told us the lawsuit was filed, there was just a joy that came over me. I was just excited it was the happiest I’ve felt in a long time. Dealing with this obviously it takes a toll on your mental health, your well being and I hope other people get satisfaction out of this,” Lutz said.

While there are 75 former workers on the lawsuit, the PRT said 87 were terminated in March for vaccination status. The lawsuit claims religious discrimination, violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and wrongful termination.

“Port Authority picked and chose our exemptions, medical ones. There was a guy on our lawsuit. I just read it, his doctor told him not to get the vaccination because something could happen to him, and they would not give him the vaccination because of that and he got terminated,” Lutz said.

Story after story similar to this one laid out in the 53-page lawsuit. While most don’t want their jobs back, they do want compensation for the time lost as well as emotional suffering.

“I want an apology? that’s what I want.”

11 News reached out to Pittsburgh Regional Transit, and a spokesperson said the company has not yet received the lawsuit so they could not comment.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

Man accused of hiding camera in Pittsburgh bathroom facing more than 230 new charges

©2022 Cox Media Group