06.30.14

Durbin: Women And Families Have A Right To Know If Employers Plan To Restrict Health Coverage

Senator will introduce legislation requiring disclosure following Supreme Court decision on Burwell v. Hobby Lobby

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Tenth Circuit’s expansion of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to allow for-profit, secular corporations to deny their employees contraceptives to which the employees are entitled by federal law based on the religious objections of the corporations’ owners:

 

“Allowing corporate employers to dictate limits on their employees’ health insurance coverage threatens one of the most fundamental health rights in our country.  Women and their families should be allowed to make this critical personal and private decision and not be subject to a for-profit employer’s personal, religious beliefs. 

 

“I will introduce legislation that requires all corporations using this Supreme Court decision to deny or limit contraception services to disclose this policy to all employed and applicants for employment.   Workers have a right to know if their employers are restricting the availability of a full range of family planning coverage.”