North Dakota Judge Blocks EEOC Regulations

A federal judge in North Dakota has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from enforcing regulations that the Catholic Diocese of Bismarck argues violate their religious beliefs regarding abortion, fertility treatments, and LGBTQ rights. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor criticized the EEOC's rules as 'clearly anti-religion' and stated that ongoing litigation is necessary to protect First Amendment rights. The regulations in question stem from the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which mandates workplace accommodations for pregnant employees but also extends protections to those seeking abortions and IVF, which the diocese contends was not Congress' intent. The plaintiffs claim these mandates infringe upon their religious freedoms, forcing them to choose between compliance and their moral beliefs. The injunction allows religious employers to refuse to use pronouns inconsistent with an employee's biological sex and restricts actions against them for not allowing transgender employees access to opposite-sex facilities. The case is ongoing as the diocese and the Catholic Benefits Association continue to pursue their lawsuit against the federal government.