Supreme Court Orders Catholic Charities to Pay Worker's Contraceptive Coverage
The US Supreme Court Monday turned down an appeal from Sacramento-based Catholic Charities. The religious organization asked justices to review a state Supreme Court decision forcing them to pay for worker’s contraceptive coverage.
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(Sacramento, CA)
Monday, October 4, 2004
Yesterday’s decision was applauded by the American Civil Liberties Union This is a victory for reproductive rights. A-C-L-U spokeswoman Margaret Crosby says California law exempts churches but not church-backed institutions like Catholic Charities. When a religious institution enters the secular world, provides secular services and receives substantial tax funds for those services then its employees are entitled to the protection of California labor laws. Catholic Charities had challenged the California law on grounds that it could not be required to pay for something it viewed as sinful. The law was passed in 1999 to stop discrimination against women who had to pay more for drugs than men. The Catholic Diocese of Sacramento did not return our request for comment. Steve Milne - KXJZ news.