The Pro-Life Employer Coercion Bill
The Pro-Life Employer Coercion Bill (aka Boss Bill) was passed by the NY legislature on Jan 22, 2019. This bill requires employers to include statements about employees’ right to abortion in employee handbooks, and prevents employers from making hiring and firing decisions based on an employee’s abortion and contraception choices.
The Pro-Life Employer Coercion Bill violates the Freedoms of Religion, Association and Speech for Christians and Pro-Life organizations.
A Violation of Freedom of Religion
This bill is a direct attack on the hiring practices of Christian pro-life organizations whose religious convictions define their mission and its parameters. Christians believe abortion is wrong for everyone and in every circumstance because we believe pre-born children are fully human and created in the image of God. This bill requires all organizations to behave in their staffing processes as if abortion were a normal and morally correct choice.
A Violation of Freedom of Association
An organization has the right to freely associate with like-minded people to accomplish a common purpose. The Boss Bill would violate pro-life organizations’ freedom of association by forcing them to hire and maintain staff of differing beliefs.
Imagine a pro-choice individual applying for a job at a pro-life pregnancy center. If the pregnancy center refused to hire the applicant because they refused to sign a statement of faith about the evil of abortion, the Boss Bill gives the applicant standing to sue.
A Violation of Freedom of Speech
How can the state require a pro-life organization to specifically communicate in every employee handbook that abortion is right, if the incorporated purpose of that organization is to communicate that abortion is wrong?
The secular state cannot be allowed to force its beliefs on Christians. It must not be allowed to coerce Christians to promulgate beliefs that are contrary to Scripture. We must obey God rather than men.
