A federal judge in North Dakota issued a ruling on Monday that temporarily blocks the enforcement of new regulations requiring employers to provide time off for abortion and fertility treatments against thousands of Catholic employers nationwide. The ruling affects over 7,000 Catholic parishes and 1,380 Catholic employers.
The lawsuit challenging the regulations was brought by the Catholic Benefits Association and the Catholic Diocese in Bismarck, arguing that the regulations infringed upon their religious rights by compelling them to accommodate employees seeking abortions or 'immoral fertility treatments.'
US District Judge Daniel Traynor, appointed by Donald Trump, criticized the Biden administration's approach to the regulations, stating concerns about government actions that are perceived as anti-religion. Traynor's order also paused enforcement of transgender protections in the workplace regulations against the Catholic organizations involved in the lawsuit.
The regulations, implemented by the EEOC under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, were challenged on the grounds of violating religious and free speech rights. The Biden administration contended that the regulations would not burden these rights, but Traynor disagreed, citing potential violations of the Catholic faith if accommodations were requested.
The ruling is part of a series of legal challenges to the EEOC regulations, with another judge in Louisiana blocking enforcement of abortion accommodation mandates against Catholic entities in that state. The controversial EEOC rule, finalized in April, mandates employers to offer reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy or childbirth, including time off for abortion, recovery from childbirth, and other related needs.
The EEOC clarified that the regulations do not require employers to pay for abortions but do include provisions for time off and accommodations for various pregnancy-related conditions. The inclusion of abortion in the definition of 'pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions' under the law sparked significant public feedback, with differing opinions on whether abortion should be covered under the act.
The ruling by Judge Traynor adds to the ongoing legal debate surrounding the EEOC regulations and their implications for religious freedom and workplace accommodations.
