Healthcare providers, their employees, medical staff, and patients have long been protected by Federal conscience protections preserving their right to participate in, or refuse to participate in, lawful activities which may...more
On Jan. 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) published its 2024 Final Rule governing healthcare conscience protections, "Safeguarding the Rights of Conscience as...more
Conscientious objection in health care is the refusal of a health care professional to provide or participate in the delivery of a legal, medically appropriate health care service to a patient because of personal beliefs. ...more
On Jan. 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) finalized a 2023 proposed rule titled “Safeguarding the Rights of Conscience as Protected by Federal Statutes” (“Final Rule”)....more
On January 5, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published a notice of proposed rulemaking entitled “Safeguarding the Rights of Conscience as Protected by Federal Statutes” (the “Proposed Rule“)....more
On December 29, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) proposed the rule, “Safeguarding the Rights of Conscience as Protected by Federal Statutes” (the “Proposed Rule”)....more
Under federal guidance, private employers can generally require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, as long as they comply with federal laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion and disability....more
Following such states as California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Oregon, Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee has issued Proclamation 21-14.3 to require certain workers be fully vaccinated against...more
In a clear response to the recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) issued by the Biden Administration, Iowa, Tennessee, Utah, and Florida recently have joined the...more
This week, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1169 into law, clarifying the legislative intent of the Health Care Right of Conscience Act (HRCRA) to allow employers the right to “take any measure or impose any...more
On October 27, 2021 the Illinois legislature passed an amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act (the Act). Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign the amendment, which would allow employers to more easily...more