Latest news with #MarylandFairEmploymentPracticesAct
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Baltimore Catholic charity violated gay man's rights by not paying spousal benefits, court rules
A federal judge in Baltimore has decreed that Catholic Relief Services must pay $60,000 to a gay, married information technology employee after it refused to continue providing health care benefits to his husband. The judge said the charitable organization had violated Maryland's antidiscrimination law. Keep up with the latest in + news and politics. U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin found last week that the Catholic agency's decision not to provide coverage to Doe's spouse directly violated the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act. Rubin agreed the group did not qualify for a religious exemption because the employee's activities were not directly tied to its religious activities. 'I'm very happy with Judge Rubin's ruling and am honored to be part of such a precedent-setting case that has helped clarify, for employers and employees alike, the legal protections Maryland law provides, especially for LGBTQ+ workers,' the employee, identified only as "John Doe," said in a press release from the law firm representing him, Brown, Goldstein, and Levy. 'I truly hope that CRS will see this ruling as an opportunity to promote the human dignity of employees in same-sex marriages by providing them the same opportunities and benefits granted to their straight counterparts.' RELATED: Insurer illegally discriminated against trans teens The employee was identified for employment by a CRS recruiter in mid-2016, according to court documents. Doe traveled to Baltimore to interview for the position, which would focus solely on the IT side of CRS activities and would not be involved with the charitable functions of the organization. Doe specifically inquired about the benefits packages offered by CRS. The eligibility provision of CRS's Group Insurance Plan stated that 'dependent[s]' are covered, and the Plan defined '[d]ependent' as 'wife or husband; children to age 26; regardless of student status,' according to Doe's lawsuit. During a follow-up conversation via telephone initiated by the recruiter, Doe inquired further about health care and benefits and whether his husband would also be covered. The pair are in a legal marriage. 'The recruiter responded, 'All dependents are covered.'' Doe accepted the offer and relocated his family to Baltimore. He received a package from Aetna shortly after he started working at Catholic Relief Services. The package specifically noted that his spouse was eligible for health benefits. Multiple representatives from CRS also confirmed his spouse's eligibility during the onboarding process. RELATED: Judge approves settlement in landmark LGBTQ+ fertility case The couple received insurance cards, and both men sought medical attention during the following 16 months, which was covered without issue by Aetna. All that changed in 2017 when CRS informed Doe that his husband had been improperly provided health care and other spousal benefits, and that it would cease all coverage beginning on October 1 of the same year. Doe appealed the decision but was told by one senior official that some people within the organization wanted him fired and advised him not to press the issue. The official was more threatening in a later meeting. 'During the meeting, the senior CRS official clarified that, if Mr. Doe were to pursue legal action, he would most likely be terminated,' Doe claimed in the lawsuit. 'CRS's retaliatory actions were malicious, intentional, and repeated,' Rubin wrote in her ruling. RELATED: Ohio Supreme Court hears LGBTQ+ parental rights case Doe was represented by Anthony May, Eve Hill, and Lauren DiMartino of Brown, Goldstein, and Levy along with co-counsel from Gilbert Employment Law. 'The court thoughtfully weighed all of the circumstances and correctly concluded that while [Mr. Doe] was dedicated to assisting CRS provide humanitarian relief to vulnerable individuals around the world, his specific job duties did not permit CRS to compensate him lesser than his colleagues merely because of who he loves,' Anthony said in the press release. CRS officials said they were reviewing their options, including an appeal of the decision.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Catholic aid group violated gay employee's rights, judge says, after spouse's health benefits canceled
A Catholic aid organization was ordered Monday to pay $60,000 to a gay former employee after he filed a lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination. The former employee, referred to as "John Doe" in the 2020 complaint, is a gay man in a same-sex marriage. He was hired as a program data analyst for the Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in June 2016. Doe's complaint states that he was told at his hiring that his husband would be covered under his employee health insurance plan. However, in November 2016, CRS informed Doe that same-sex spouses are not eligible for coverage. They said his spouse had been added by mistake and his health insurance coverage would be terminated by the end of the month. Doe negotiated with superiors until October 2017, when his spouse was dropped from the plan. Doe alleges he was threatened with termination for pressing the issue. Supreme Court Appears Likely To Side With Catholic Church And Trump In Key Religious Exemption Case Doe's complaint argued that CRS had discriminated against him based on sex, including sexual orientation, and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (MFEPA), Maryland Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (MEPEWA), and the Federal Equal Pay Act. Read On The Fox News App Monday's ruling addressed Doe's claims of discrimination under MFEPA. CRS argued that as a religious organization, it falls under the Religious Entity Exemption included in the state anti-discrimination law. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin cited the Maryland Supreme Court's conclusions that religious organizations are exempt from sexual orientation discrimination MFEPA claims when they are brought by employees who carry out a "core mission" of the organization. Us Conference Of Catholic Bishops Sue Trump Over Immigration, Refugee Funding Freeze Doe worked in five full-time positions during his tenure at CRS, none of which were "explicitly religious" in nature, the ruling says. Judge Rubin determined Doe "did not, in any of his positions, directly further a CRS core mission" and ruled in his favor that CRS violated his rights under MFEPA and must pay him $60,000. The legal victory is the first in Maryland applying the state Supreme Court's test under the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act's religious exemption, Doe's attorneys say. "I'm very happy with Judge Rubin's ruling and am honored to be part of such a precedent-setting case that has helped clarify, for employers and employees alike, the legal protections Maryland law provides, especially for LGBTQ+ workers," Doe said in a statement. "I truly hope that CRS will see this ruling as an opportunity to promote the human dignity of employees in same-sex marriages by providing them the same opportunities and benefits granted to their straight counterparts." Doe received another legal win against the organization in 2022, after U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake ruled in Mr. Doe's favor under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Equal Pay Act, The Baltimore Sun reported. Catholic Relief Services did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 'Hysteria': White House Shuts Down Concerns Over Usaid Document Purge CRS is a non-governmental organization (NGO) which serves as the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The group assists "impoverished and disadvantaged people overseas, working in the spirit of Catholic social teaching to promote the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person," its website says. According to a report in the National Catholic Reporter, CRS has been forced to shut down programs and lay off staff this year due to President Donald Trump's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). CRS receives more USAID support than any other NGO, the Associated Press reported, and USAID funded about half of the CRS's $1.2 billion budget in 2023. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 11 that the State Department had concluded a six-week review and would cancel more than 80% of USAID programs. That translates to an elimination of roughly 5,200 of USAID's 6,200 programs. CRS put out a statement in response, urging the Trump administration to reconsider, saying these cuts have threatened "millions of lives" abroad. Fox News' Diana Stancy contributed to this article source: Catholic aid group violated gay employee's rights, judge says, after spouse's health benefits canceled
Fox News
27-04-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Catholic aid group violated gay employee's rights, judge says, after spouse's health benefits canceled
A Catholic aid organization was ordered Monday to pay $60,000 to a gay former employee after he filed a lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination. The former employee, referred to as "John Doe" in the 2020 complaint, is a gay man in a same-sex marriage. He was hired as a program data analyst for the Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in June 2016. Doe's complaint states that he was told at his hiring that his husband would be covered under his employee health insurance plan. However, in November 2016, CRS informed Doe that same-sex spouses are not eligible for coverage. They said his spouse had been added by mistake and his health insurance coverage would be terminated by the end of the month. Doe negotiated with superiors until October 2017, when his spouse was dropped from the plan. Doe alleges he was threatened with termination for pressing the issue. Doe's complaint argued that CRS had discriminated against him based on sex, including sexual orientation, and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (MFEPA), Maryland Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (MEPEWA), and the Federal Equal Pay Act. Monday's ruling addressed Doe's claims of discrimination under MFEPA. CRS argued that as a religious organization, it falls under the Religious Entity Exemption included in the state anti-discrimination law. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin cited the Maryland Supreme Court's conclusions that religious organizations are exempt from sexual orientation discrimination MFEPA claims when they are brought by employees who carry out a "core mission" of the organization. Doe worked in five full-time positions during his tenure at CRS, none of which were "explicitly religious" in nature, the ruling says. Judge Rubin determined Doe "did not, in any of his positions, directly further a CRS core mission" and ruled in his favor that CRS violated his rights under MFEPA and must pay him $60,000. The legal victory is the first in Maryland applying the state Supreme Court's test under the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act's religious exemption, Doe's attorneys say. "I'm very happy with Judge Rubin's ruling and am honored to be part of such a precedent-setting case that has helped clarify, for employers and employees alike, the legal protections Maryland law provides, especially for LGBTQ+ workers," Doe said in a statement. "I truly hope that CRS will see this ruling as an opportunity to promote the human dignity of employees in same-sex marriages by providing them the same opportunities and benefits granted to their straight counterparts." Doe received another legal win against the organization in 2022, after U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake ruled in Mr. Doe's favor under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Equal Pay Act, The Baltimore Sun reported. Catholic Relief Services did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. CRS is a non-governmental organization (NGO) which serves as the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The group assists "impoverished and disadvantaged people overseas, working in the spirit of Catholic social teaching to promote the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person," its website says. According to a report in the National Catholic Reporter, CRS has been forced to shut down programs and lay off staff this year due to President Donald Trump's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). CRS receives more USAID support than any other NGO, the Associated Press reported, and USAID funded about half of the CRS's $1.2 billion budget in 2023. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 11 that the State Department had concluded a six-week review and would cancel more than 80% of USAID programs. That translates to an elimination of roughly 5,200 of USAID's 6,200 programs. CRS put out a statement in response, urging the Trump administration to reconsider, saying these cuts have threatened "millions of lives" abroad.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services ordered to pay $60,000 to gay former employee after denying health benefits for husband
BALTIMORE — A federal judge has ordered Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services to pay $60,000 to a gay former employee who said the agency revoked health insurance coverage for his husband, according to court documents. The former employee, referred to as 'John Doe' in court documents, worked as an information technology professional at Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. In the lawsuit, Doe alleges Catholic Relief Service withdrew health insurance benefits for his husband because he and his husband are men. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin found that Catholic Relief Services violated the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act, ruling the agency's claim of an exemption to the law for religious groups did not apply to Doe's positions at the agency. 'I'm very happy with Judge Rubin's ruling and am honored to be part of such a precedent-setting case that has helped clarify, for employers and employees alike, the legal protections Maryland law provides, especially for LGBTQ workers,' Doe said in a statement provided by his attorneys. 'I truly hope that CRS will see this ruling as an opportunity to promote the human dignity of employees in same-sex marriages by providing them the same opportunities and benefits granted to their straight counterparts.' A spokesperson for Catholic Relief Services said the agency is reviewing the ruling and did not have any comment 'at this time.' Attorneys said that Doe's lawsuit against Catholic Relief Services is the first case to apply the Supreme Court of Maryland's clarification on the religious exemption under MFEPA. The complaint was first filed in 2020 when Doe worked for Catholic Relief Services with the understanding that employee benefits covered all dependents, including same-sex spouses. Attorneys for Doe said that Catholic Relief Services did not follow through on that commitment and canceled his husband's insurance coverage because they are gay. In 2022, U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake ruled in Doe's favor under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Federal Equal Pay Act, stating that religious organizations are not excused from anti-discrimination statutes, attorneys said. Upon clarification from the Supreme Court, Judge Rubin concluded that Doe did not directly further a Catholic Relief Services' core religious mission in any of the positions he held at the agency. As a result, Catholic Relief Services could not rely on the religious exemption to allow it to discriminate against him. The court also concluded that because MFEPA is neutral and generally applicable, it does not violate Catholic Relief Services' First Amendment free exercise rights, according to Doe's attorneys. 'MFEPA's prohibition on employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation does not apply to a religious entity's employment of an individual of a particular sexual orientation whose duties directly further a core mission,' Rubin wrote in court documents. Doe's attorney said the case should provide a precedent on how the Supreme Court of Maryland and trial courts analyze MFEPA's religious exemption on a case-by-case basis. 'The court thoughtfully weighed all of the circumstances and correctly concluded that while he was dedicated to assisting CRS provide humanitarian relief to vulnerable individuals around the world, his specific job duties did not permit CRS to compensate him lesser than his colleagues merely because of who he loves. We are delighted that our client has received the justice he deserves,' Anthony May, an attorney with Brown, Goldstein & Levy who represents Doe, said in a statement. _____
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Catholic Relief Services ordered to pay $60K to gay former employee after denying health benefits for husband
A federal judge has ordered Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services to pay $60,000 to a gay former employee who said the agency revoked health insurance coverage for his husband, according to court documents. The former employee, referred to as 'John Doe' in court documents, worked as an information technology professional at Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. In the lawsuit, Doe alleges Catholic Relief Service withdrew health insurance benefits for his husband because he and his husband are men. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin found that Catholic Relief Services violated the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act, ruling the agency's claim of an exemption to the law for religious groups did not apply to Doe's positions at the agency. 'I'm very happy with Judge Rubin's ruling and am honored to be part of such a precedent-setting case that has helped clarify, for employers and employees alike, the legal protections Maryland law provides, especially for LGBTQ workers,' Doe said in a statement provided by his attorneys. 'I truly hope that CRS will see this ruling as an opportunity to promote the human dignity of employees in same-sex marriages by providing them the same opportunities and benefits granted to their straight counterparts.' A spokesperson for Catholic Relief Services said the agency is reviewing the ruling and did not have any comment 'at this time.' Attorneys said that Doe's lawsuit against Catholic Relief Services is the first case to apply the Supreme Court of Maryland's clarification on the religious exemption under MFEPA. The complaint was first filed in 2020 when Doe worked for Catholic Relief Services with the understanding that employee benefits covered all dependents, including same-sex spouses. Attorneys for Doe said that Catholic Relief Services did not follow through on that commitment and canceled his husband's insurance coverage because they are gay. In 2022, U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake ruled in Doe's favor under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Federal Equal Pay Act, stating that religious organizations are not excused from antidiscrimination statutes, attorneys said. Upon clarification from the Supreme Court, Judge Rubin concluded that Doe did not directly further a Catholic Relief Services' core religious mission in any of the positions he held at the agency. As a result, Catholic Relief Services could not rely on the religious exemption to allow it to discriminate against him. The court also concluded that because MFEPA is neutral and generally applicable, it does not violate Catholic Relief Services' First Amendment free exercise rights, according to Doe's attorneys. 'MFEPA's prohibition on employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation does not apply to a religious entity's employment of an individual of a particular sexual orientation whose duties directly further a core mission,' Rubin wrote in court documents. Doe's attorney said the case should provide a precedent on how the Supreme Court of Maryland and trial courts analyze MFEPA's religious exemption on a case-by-case basis. 'The court thoughtfully weighed all of the circumstances and correctly concluded that while he was dedicated to assisting CRS provide humanitarian relief to vulnerable individuals around the world, his specific job duties did not permit CRS to compensate him lesser than his colleagues merely because of who he loves. We are delighted that our client has received the justice he deserves,' Anthony May, an attorney with Brown, Goldstein & Levy who represents Doe, said in a statement. Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@ or on X as @ToddKarpovich.
