religious freedom News

New York Ups Workers’ Compensation Benefits; Targets Wage Theft, ‘Captive Audience’ Meetings

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed three bills into law that affect workers, including one raising the minimum disability benefit under workers’ compensation over three years. The second new law prohibits employers from disciplining employees that opt not to …

Native American Former Student Sues Ok. School for Removing Feather at Graduation

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – A Native American former student is suing an Oklahoma school district for the removal of an eagle feather from her graduation cap prior to her high school graduation ceremony. The lawsuit filed Monday in Tulsa County …

Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks LGBTQ Order at New York’s Yeshiva University

The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a court order that would have forced Yeshiva University to recognize an LGBTQ group as an official campus club. The court acted Friday in a brief order signed by Justice Sonia Sotomayor that indicated …

Some Churches, Officials Struggle to Balance Right to Worship with Coronavirus Risk

Crowded bars and house parties have been identified as culprits in spreading the coronavirus. Meat packing plants, prisons and nursing homes are known hot spots. Then there’s the complicated case of America’s churches. The vast majority of these churches have …

Next LGBT Legal Battle for Supreme Court Will Be Religious Exemptions: Analysis

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling protecting LGBT rights in the workplace sets the stage for another major legal fight over the scope of religious-rights exemptions to certain federal laws that could dilute the landmark decision’s impact. The justices ruled 6-3 …

Supreme Court Returns Gay Wedding, Religion Rights Case to State

The U.S. Supreme Court ordered reconsideration of a $135,000 award against an Oregon bakery that refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding in a case that revived a fractious debate over religious rights and equal treatment. After more …

Nevada Worker Fired For Not Accepting Scientology, Suit Says

A Catholic woman fired from her job at a bottled water company led by a Nevada lawmaker has filed a federal lawsuit against the business, saying she was pressured to watch videos on Scientology and was denied pay raises because …

Texas Businesses Oppose ‘Pro-Discrimination’ Legislation

Two proposed constitutional amendments that supporters say would protect Texans from government intrusion into their free exercise of religion are meeting resistance from a coalition led by a former adviser to George W. Bush that calls the measures discriminatory. The …

Supreme Court Could Take Up Religious Rights of Corporations

U.S. Supreme Court justices could decide on Tuesday to review religious objections made by corporations to a provision of the 2010 federal healthcare law requiring employers to provide health insurance that covers birth control. The key question before the court …

Obama Offers Compromise on Birth Control Insurance Coverage

The Obama administration on Friday sought to settle a dispute with religious leaders over whether employees at faith-affiliated universities, hospitals and other institutions should have access to health insurance coverage for contraceptives. The new set of proposals would instead guarantee …