Capitol Correspondence - 01.21.18

HHS to Create Office Protecting Health Workers’ Moral / Religious Objections to Work

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According to The Hill:

“The Trump administration has created 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.” Read the full article here.

The planning for this division is still in the early stages, but ANCOR is closely monitoring any developments in order to determine whether it will carry implications for IDD supports and services.