The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Catholic University of America (CU), have filed a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) due to the PWFA’s abortion inclusions.
Passed last June, the PWFA initially stipulated that employers must offer workplace accommodations to pregnant women, including assistance such as time off for medical appointments and recovery from childbirth, as well as accommodations related to breaks for food, water and restroom needs, seating, breastfeeding, and miscarriage. However, in April, the EEOC issued a clarification stating that abortion (intentionally ending the life of one’s preborn child) will be included as a covered “medical condition” within the act.
CU President Peter Kilpatrick said the abortion accommodations conflict with the university’s Catholic mission. In a press release, he explained the university has adopted several initiatives to encourage family life, including expanding paid family leave, providing designated parking spaces for pregnant moms, and increased access to lactation spaces and diaper changing tables. “Through all of this, we have shown our commitment to supporting the mothers who are a crucial part of our community,” he said. “We will continue this work.”
Kilpatrick went on:
The Catholic University of America community remains steadfast in our commitments to upholding the sanctity of life and supporting women and pregnant mothers in the workplace. We firmly reject any suggestion of tension between those two core commitments. We can – and we do – support women as they grow their families, and we believe it is possible to do so wholeheartedly while also supporting the dignity of life at all stages. Our mission to cultivate a culture of love, respect, and compassion demands nothing less.
The USCCB previously put out a statement denouncing the abortion changes. “No employer should be forced to participate in an employee’s decision to end the life of their child,” said Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty
“The bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, as written, is a pro-life law that protects the security and physical health of pregnant mothers and their preborn children,” Rhoades said. “It is indefensible for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to twist the law in a way that violates the consciences of pro-life employers by making them facilitate abortions.”
