A former employee is taking legal action against a major public transportation entity, alleging religious discrimination and wrongful termination. Tyler Patrick Burns filed a complaint on November 25, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). Burns claims that his employment was unjustly terminated due to his refusal to comply with a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, which he argues conflicts with his deeply held Catholic beliefs.
According to the complaint, Burns has been a practicing Catholic since childhood and holds sincere religious convictions that prohibit him from receiving vaccines associated with aborted fetal cell lines. He began working for CTA in April 2018 as an electrician and was known for his dedication and positive performance reviews. In November 2021, when CTA implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, Burns submitted a request for religious exemption based on his beliefs. Despite other employees receiving exemptions for similar reasons, Burns’ request was denied without proper consideration or engagement in an interactive process by CTA.
Burns contends that CTA’s actions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to accommodate his religious beliefs and treating him disparately compared to other employees who were granted exemptions. The lawsuit also invokes the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act, arguing that CTA’s vaccine mandate substantially burdened Burns’ exercise of religion without serving a compelling governmental interest through the least restrictive means.
The plaintiff seeks various forms of relief from the court, including compensatory damages for emotional distress and financial losses incurred due to losing health insurance coverage after termination. Additionally, Burns requests injunctive relief to prevent future discriminatory practices by CTA and demands a jury trial to address these grievances.
Representing Tyler Patrick Burns is attorney Frank Avila from Chicago. The case is presided over by judges at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:25-cv-14449.
Source: 125cv14449_Tyler_Patrick_v_Chicago_Transit_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
