Experts say the Supreme Court may be preparing to revisit standards set in 1977 on how much employers must accommodate workers’ religious beliefs.
- Federal law requires employers to make “reasonable” adjustments for workers’ religious beliefs.
- Legal experts say the policies adopted by the chain drugstores appear to be in line with the law.
- The debate on the issue has intensified since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in June.
WASHINGTON — The nation’s largest pharmacy chain has come under scrutiny in recent weeks for policies that allow pharmacists to refuse birth control if it conflicts with their religious or moral beliefs.
In most cases, the law is on their side, experts say.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires companies to accommodate workers’ religious beliefs as long as the requirement does not create “undue hardship” for the employer. How far employers must go is debatable — but the Supreme Court has repeatedly expressed interest in expanding, rather than limiting, religious rights.
