The plaintiffs, represented anonymously by the Thomas More Society, included former and current employees and students, physicians, medical students, nurses and medical professionals, among others.

After the US Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled that Chancellor Donald Elliman and other defendants violated the plaintiffs' "clearly established" First Amendment rights, the university agreed to pay damages, tuition and attorney's fees to all 18 individuals.

"No amount of compensation or course-correction can make up for the life-altering damage Chancellor Elliman and Anschutz inflicted on the plaintiffs and so many others throughout this case, who felt forced to succumb to a manifestly irrational mandate," Michael McHale, senior counsel at Thomas More Society, said in a statement following the settlement.

The Anschutz School of Medicine defended its original policy, stating in an email to The Center Square that the vaccination requirement was implemented to protect students and faculty and to comply with federal regulations tied to federal funding. The requirement was rescinded once the federal mandate was lifted.

"This policy was grounded in science, public health guidance, and our obligation to safeguard lives during an unprecedented global crisis," the university said. "While some chose to challenge the policy, the evidence remains clear: Vaccination was essential to protecting the vulnerable, keeping hospitals open, and sustaining education and research."

According to the Thomas More Society, this marks the first case in the nation in which plaintiffs have recovered monetary damages under the First Amendment related to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

"These are kind, compassionate medical professionals who entered their field to serve and care for others, yet they were treated with shocking disregard for their rights and scoffed at for their deeply held beliefs," said Peter Breen, executive vice president at Thomas More Society. "Because they had the courage to say ‘no' when their religious freedoms were trampled, people of faith across the country now enjoy stronger protections."

Following the settlement, the University of Colorado has agreed to now allow students to request religious accommodations on the same terms as employees and will evaluate requests for religious exemptions with the same consideration as medical exemptions, contrary to the university's actions in this case.

"We stand by the decisions made in that moment and remain deeply grateful to the healthcare professionals, faculty, staff and students whose courage and commitment protected our community and advanced our mission when it mattered most," the university added. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Elon Musk Reveals His Thoughts on God on Katie Miller's Podcast

Australia to Begin Enforcing Social Media Law Banning Children Under 16 from Major Platforms

Teacher Fights for His Job, Held in Jail Through Christmas in Student Pronoun Battle

Colorado School Districts Won't Be Penalized for Protecting Girls' Sports from Gender-Confused Boys

Medical School OKs $10M Religious Discrimination Settlement over COVID-19 Vax Mandate

Appeals Court Scolds Biden Judge, Sides with Pete Hegseth on Transgender Military Ban

Judge Blocks Trump's National Guard Deployment in LA

A Federal Judge Just Ordered the 2019 Epstein Documents to Be Unsealed

A Special Moment with First Lady Melania Trump at a Toys For Tots Charity Drive[VIDEO]

Give Him 15: The Power of Our Covenantal History

Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers Case: Even the ACLU Calls NJ Actions 'Censorship by Intimidation'

'Depart Immediately': State Department Warns Americans in Mali as al Qaeda Threatens to Overrun African Nation

Top Trump Attorney Alina Habba Resigns

DHS Unveils 'Worst of the Worst' Webpage Spotlighting Migrants' Heinous Crimes

Emerging Facts Shift Focus of Drug Boat Strike Controversy

Yet Another High-Ranking Maduro Insider Provides Trump with a Shocking Tell-All

'We Love Our Farmers': President Trump Announces $12B in Farm Aid

Barron Trump Is 'Very Close' to Salvation, Says Pastor Who Had Midnight Call With the First Son

'Country Ever After' Star Loses 7-Year Battle to Colon Cancer: 'Slipped Into the Arms of Jesus'

FBI Warns About Ransom Scams Involving Fake 'Proof of Life' Photos