A trial date has been scheduled after former News/Talk 98.9 The Roar of Memphis morning host Bob Boccia brought a lawsuit against Cumulus.
In a May filing, Boccia claimed Cumulus failed to accommodate his religious beliefs and a medical condition after implementing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He argues that previous vaccines had caused Crohn’s Disease flare-ups, and would not be receiving the vaccine. He also alleged that as a devout Catholic, his religious beliefs “forbade him from knowingly accepting vaccinations or medications developed using fetal cell lines derived from abortions.”
In 2021, Cumulus mandated that all employees received the COVID-19 vaccine. Boccia failed to do so, and was subsequently fired on October 11th.
A trial date has now been set for Monday, August 19th, 2024 for the U.S. District Court in Western Tennessee.
In response to the complaint, Cumulus has argued that Boccia never sought an exemption from the mandate. The company says Boccia was fired “for legitimate business reasons based on safety requirements which are job-related and consistent with business necessity”.
Boccia — known as “Sideshow Bob” on the station’s morning show — is seeking damages in excess of $75,000.
