SALEM, OREGON – On April 9, 2009, the Oregon Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act (SB 786). House Speaker Dave Hunt, Bureau of Labor and Industry director Brad Avakian, and Senator David Nelson led the testimony in favor of the bill followed by Northwest Religious Liberty Association president Gregory…
Category: Employment Law
Obama makes plans to remove ‘conscience clause’ for health-care workers
The Catholic Culture blog has posted a link to a set of articles about Obama’s plans to rescind the “conscience clause” that protects health-care personnel from pressure to participate in procedures they regard as immoral, such as abortion.
Workplace Discrimination Claims On the Rise (BeliefNet – RNS)
The proposed Workplace Religious Freedom Act would provide greater protections but has languished in Congress for more than a decade, despite broad bipartisan support and support from an unusually diverse range of religious groups.
Workplace Religious Accommodation: Man Refuses to Drive ‘No God’ Bus (BBC)
A Christian bus driver has refused to drive a bus with an atheist slogan proclaiming “There’s probably no God”.
Disputes over religion and health care land in Calif. courts (ScrippsNews.com)
Dr. Catherine Kim of Simi Valley, Calif. can’t do it. Her practice as an obstetrician-gynecologist is based on medical science. But her convictions as a born-again Christian sculpt every aspect of her life, from the Bible stories she reads to her kids before bedtime to the prayers she offers people who visit her office.
OUTRAGE IN COLORADO: More than 100 Muslims Fired When They Protest Employer’s Policy Prohibiting Prayer Breaks (NPR)
Greeley, Colorado – Last month, more than 100 Somalis were fired for walking off the job after the company refused to let them take breaks to pray at sunset during the Muslim holiday month of Ramadan. They are in the process of filing a class-action lawsuit against the company.
Interview with Attorney and Pastor Mitch Tyner
“In my view, if we are not prepared to protect the rights of those with whom we disagree, we are not serious about religious freedom.”
Former associate general counsel of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Mitch Tyner, asks questions about the legal process, lawsuits between believers, separation of church and state, and addresses the controversy about gay marriage.
EEOC issues New Guidelines on Religious Discrimination
Thanks to the tireless efforts of many the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has released new guidelines that make clearer recommendations regarding workplace religious discrimination and accommodation of religious practices. The full guidelines, available at http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/religion.html , are remarkable in that the EEOC has clarified definitions and provided clear examples of prohibited conduct that can…
Proposal Would Deny Federal Money if Employees Must Provide Medical Care to Which They Object (WashingtonPost.com)
The Bush Administration has proposed new regulations which would deny federal money to medical facilities if they required employees to act against their religious conscience in providing certain health benefits. This raises a number of pertinent questions: Does this go too far, or is it just what religious employees need? Is the proposed regulation too…
Registrar wins same-sex tribunal (BBC)
From the BBC – A marriage registrar was harassed for refusing to conduct same-sex ceremonies, a tribunal has ruled. Lillian Ladele, who said the civil partnership ceremonies went against her Christian faith, hailed the decision as a “victory for religious liberty”. The tribunal ruled that Miss Ladele was discriminated against on grounds of religious beliefs…