Hobby Lobby’s Supreme Court Case

Hobby Lobby, a privately owned arts and craft store, is undergoing a legal battle in the US Supreme Court. The latest hurdle for the Obama Administration with its health care overhaul, the issue stems from whether corporations can cite religious beliefs to remove certain types of contraceptive services from employee health care coverage.

Hobby Lobby argued its case at the Supreme Court last week.
Image: Shutterstock

The for-profit company currently operates 500 stores nationwide, with over 13,000 employees. According to the company’s website, of those 13,000 employees, 70% are women. The company states that there are 16 FDA-approved contraceptives they approve and are willing to cover, provided they do not interfere with the implantation of a fertilized egg. However, the company takes issue with three contraceptives that they believe to be abortive, or that interfere with a fertilized egg.

Hobby Lobby President Steven Green has stated, “We believe that the principles that are taught scripturally is what we should operate our lives by…and so we cannot be a part of taking a life.”

An opposing view from the Justice Department states in its briefs that the government wouldn’t be able to function if religious objections could be the basis for corporations who refuse to comply with laws.

However, in 1993, Congress passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which cited if a law imposes a substantial burden on the free exercise of religion, it has to meet a high level for justification. This stemmed from a 1990 case involving the use of peyote as a part of ceremonies held by Native Americans, who argued they could use the illegal hallucinogen as part of spiritual rituals.

Hobby Lobby’s owners have stated that certain types of contraception infringe upon their Christian beliefs. While Hobby Lobby says they wish to provide insurance for their employees, the fine given to them for opting out is $26 million a year—less than what the corporation currently spends on insurance.

The case itself has ignited a public and social media debate. The Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case, trial and pending decision has taken to Twitter; new hashtags such as #NotMyBossBusiness and #ReligiousFreedomForAll cropped up before and during the Supreme Court oral arguments last week, creating significant chatter around the issue and pending decision.