Friday, December 18, 2020

DOJ Sues Vermont Hospital For Violating Church Amendments

The Justice Department announced this week that it filed suit in a Vermont federal district court against the University of Vermont Medical Center for violating the Church Amendments that protect medical workers from being required to assist with abortions in violation of their religious or moral convictions. The complaint (full text) in United States v. University of Vermont Medical Center, (D VT, filed 12/16/2020) alleges in part:

Defendant has scheduled conscience objectors, including nurses, to assist with elective abortions despite specific and repeated requests from those personnel not to be assigned to elective abortions because of their religious beliefs or moral convictions. Moreover, Defendant has repeatedly assigned conscience objectors to participate in elective abortions without giving advance notice of the nature of the procedure.