The Deacon's Bench
Following up on this report…a judge has now stepped in.
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday prohibiting a New Jersey hospital from forcing any of 12 nurses that sued the facility to participate in training or services related to abortions.
As LifeNews reported, the nurses filed a lawsuit against their employer, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, which told them they had to either assist in abortions or risk losing their jobs. The Alliance Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of 12 nurses who work for the facility, which receives federal health funds and which told them they needed to assist abortions or be terminated from their employment.
The order, which the hospital agreed to, is in effect until the court decides whether to issue any additional order at a November 18 hearing.
ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman told LifeNews that federal and state laws both protect the nurses from being required to participate in medical activities related to abortions. Prior to the court order, two of the nurses had been scheduled to participate this Friday in training that would include surgical abortions.
“Pro-life nurses shouldn’t be forced to assist or train in services related to abortions. Federal and state law both prohibit this,” he said. “These 12 nurses have encountered threats to their jobs at this hospital ever since a policy change required them to participate in the abortion cases regardless of their religious and moral objections. The court’s order prevents that until the Nov. 18 hearing, but it is disturbing that the hospital may fight to continue violating laws that clearly protect conscience rights.”
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