Trump administration creates new religious, moral protections for health workers
By Jessie Hellmann - 01/18/18 09:59 AM EST
The Trump administration will create new protections for health workers who have religious and moral objections to certain procedures, such as abortion or assisted suicide.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday it will create a new division under the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) responsible for investigating complaints filed by workers claiming that their employers have violated their religious rights.
The changes represent a major shift for the OCR, which in the past has primarily focused on enforcing patient safety and privacy concerns.
The new division, called the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, will enforce "laws and regulations that protect conscience and prohibit coercion on issues such as abortion and assisted suicide" in HHS-funded or conducted programs," according to OCR's updated website.
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http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/369513-trump-admin-creates-new-religious-moral-protections-for-health-workers
