Rite Aid Pharmacist Fired for Needle Phobia Has $2.6M Award Nixed

A needle-phobic pharmacist who alleged he was unfairly fired after 34 years on the job for refusing to give immunizations had his $2.6 million jury award overturned March 21 (Stevens v. Rite Aid Corp., 2d Cir., No. 15-03491, 3/21/17).

Christopher Stevens worked for Rite Aid and predecessor pharmacies for about 34 years. In 2011, the company made giving immunizations an explicit requirement for all of its pharmacists. Stevens submitted doctor’s notes about his trypanophobia. They explained that his blood pressure would spike and he’d get anxious and lightheaded at the sight of a needle and might faint.

He ...