Longstanding Conscience Protections for Employers Set to Be Removed
Lansing, MI – Yesterday, Governor Whitmer signed into law an amendment to the Elliot Larson Civil Right Act that mandates all employer benefit plans that cover pregnancy must now cover elective abortions. Long-standing conscience protections have been stripped from employers who may now be forced to choose between violating their moral principals by providing abortion coverage or dropping their employee healthcare benefits altogether.
“This legislation was rapidly pushed by the proabortion legislature and now Governor Whitmer to promote their abortion agenda,” stated Genevieve Marnon, Legislative Director, Right to Life of Michigan. “To include an ‘action’ in the Elliot-Larsen law is a radical departure from the intent and spirit of the ELRCA, which was designed to prevent discrimination against people for immutable characteristics such as gender, race, religion etc.”
“Employers are not privy to HIPAA protected healthcare information so their employers have no way of knowing whether they’ve had an abortion unless the employee broadcasts her private medical records,” add Marnon.
Right to Life of Michigan will continue to seek alternative avenues of protecting employers from this radical loss of conscience protections.
For more information:
RLM Legislative Director Genevieve Marnon, (517) 487-3376, [email protected]