Michigan hospital will change LGBT policies and pay fired physician assistant

University of Michigan Health-West will pay $410,000 in damages to Valerie Kloosterman, a former physician assistant fired for refusing to follow certain LGBT-related policies. The settlement, announced by the First Liberty Institute on July 29, also requires the health system to create religious accommodations for employees.

These new accommodations will allow staff to decline participation in transgender-related transitions or procedures and permit them to avoid using LGBT pronouns if doing so violates their religious beliefs.

Kloosterman, a Christian, worked at the hospital for 17 years before her termination in August 2021. A 2022 lawsuit filed in U.S. district court alleged she was fired after refusing to use specific pronouns and making referrals for drugs and surgeries related to gender transitions. The lawsuit further claimed that hospital staff denigrated her religious beliefs and blamed her for suicides related to gender dysphoria. Kloosterman stated that the new policy allows employees to provide care consistent with their medical judgment and faith.