Ever since the induction of
the Affordable Care Act, many organizations and business owners have been up in
arms about the clause
that makes it easier, and more affordable than ever, for women to access birth
control. Now, businesses are required by law to provide birth control to
employees who utilize health care plans provided by their employers. This has
created a great deal of conflict for business owners who say that providing
birth control to employees is a violation of their religious beliefs.
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| Hobby Lobby CEO David Green says "Business owners should not have to choose between violating their faith and violating the law." |
A recent example of this is Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., a
landmark case that addresses the rights of business owners to run their
companies without having to compromise their religious beliefs. Hobby Lobby
Stores Inc. maintains that being legally forced to provide coverage for
potentially life-terminating contraception to employees is a violation of their
religious convictions, which in turn is a violation of the United States
Constitution.
“This legal challenge has always remained about one thing and one thing only: the right of our family businesses to live out our sincere and deeply held religious convictions as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution,” explains David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby. Green continues, “Business owners should not have to choose between violating their faith and violating the law,” of the conflict that has arisen for many businesses in light of health care reform. Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. will be argued before the Supreme Court in June of 2014.
Another recent example of an organization fighting for legal exemption from providing birth control to employees involves the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of Colorado nuns who maintain that they should be exempt from the ACA’s birth control mandate because of their obvious religious affiliation. According to The Washington Post, “The Supreme Court said Friday that a group of Colorado nuns does not have to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that employers offer insurance plans that cover contraceptives while the nuns pursue a legal challenge of that portion of the law.”
This is another example of the kind of backlash the young law is still receiving from religious business owners and organizations. There will be many more cases like this in the near future, as the Supreme Court decides whether or not requiring religiously affiliated businesses to provide birth control is unconstitutional.
Read more about the Little Sisters of the Poor’s legal battle here.
“This legal challenge has always remained about one thing and one thing only: the right of our family businesses to live out our sincere and deeply held religious convictions as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution,” explains David Green, the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby. Green continues, “Business owners should not have to choose between violating their faith and violating the law,” of the conflict that has arisen for many businesses in light of health care reform. Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. will be argued before the Supreme Court in June of 2014.
Another recent example of an organization fighting for legal exemption from providing birth control to employees involves the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of Colorado nuns who maintain that they should be exempt from the ACA’s birth control mandate because of their obvious religious affiliation. According to The Washington Post, “The Supreme Court said Friday that a group of Colorado nuns does not have to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that employers offer insurance plans that cover contraceptives while the nuns pursue a legal challenge of that portion of the law.”
This is another example of the kind of backlash the young law is still receiving from religious business owners and organizations. There will be many more cases like this in the near future, as the Supreme Court decides whether or not requiring religiously affiliated businesses to provide birth control is unconstitutional.
Read more about the Little Sisters of the Poor’s legal battle here.
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