Saturday, October 21, 2006
fostering equality
Court: Groups must offer contraceptives
New York's highest court ruled Thursday that social service agencies run by the Roman Catholic Church and other faiths must provide birth-control coverage to their employees, even if they consider contraception a sin...Good! I think the court made a wise decision!
...The 6-0 decision by the Court of Appeals hinged on whether Catholic Charities and the nine other groups are essentially social service agencies, not churches....
...The organizations "believe contraception to be sinful," the Court of Appeals said. "We must weigh against (their) interests in adhering to the tenets of their faith the state's substantial interest in fostering equality between the sexes, and in providing women with better health care."...
...The New York court said the fact that the organizations hire employees outside their faith was a critical factor and that they deserve the rights sought under the law....