Two former employees of Lexington-based news station WKYT and parent company Gray Media are suing both the station and the company after they were allegedly fired for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19. DeAnn Stephens Cox and Ashley Landis filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court last week. Cox held a variety of positions at WKYT for 27 years.
Landis is a former national sales manager for the company. Cox and Landis allege in the suit that the media outlet violated the Title VII Civil Rights Act for sex and religious discrimination, the American Disabilities Act, the Kentucky Civil Rights Act and the Kentucky Wage and Hour Act after both women were fired in October 2021.
A representative for WKYT did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Gray Media required staff to get the coronavirus vaccine through a mandate issued in August 2021, according to the lawsuit. Stephens said due to medical issues, her doctor had advised her not to get vaccinated. According to court documents, Cox sent in an ADA medical questionnaire and exemption form which was signed by her medical provider.