Not all black-robes are jackwads.
U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor has concluded that over 9,000 Catholic employers are not required to comply with federal rules protecting employees seeking abortion and fertility treatment accommodations. This ruling came after the Catholic Benefits Association and the Bismarck Diocese challenged regulations set forth by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), arguing these rules infringed upon their religious liberties.
The lawsuit, initiated last year, contended that the EEOC’s guidelines, derived from the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (effective since 2023), imposed obligations contrary to Catholic teachings. The Act mandates that employers provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy or childbirth-related requests. In 2024, the EEOC issued rules and harassment guidance meant to enforce this law, which included considerations for gender identity under sex-based discrimination.
Judge Traynor’s judgment was based on his determination that the regulations conflicted with federal laws protecting religious freedoms. He emphasized that the lawsuit’s core facts and evidence had not shifted since his earlier provisional block on the rule.
The Catholic Benefits Association, representing thousands of Catholic employers, claims the EEOC’s directives would force its members to go against their faith by accommodating abortions and fertility treatments and by compelling the use of pronouns, all incongruent with Catholic doctrine.
The First Amendment remains in effect.
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