CV NEWS FEED // The Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, and a pro-life pregnancy resource center filed a lawsuit against state officials March 20, challenging a law that forces religious organizations to hire individuals who do not share or live according to Christian beliefs on abortion.
A 2024 amendment to Illinois Human Rights Act prohibited all employers from refusing to hire anyone based on their “reproductive health decisions,” meaning that pro-life ministries or faith-based organizations can be required to hire employees who do not uphold the dignity of human life. Represented by legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, the diocese and the pregnancy care center’s lawsuit opposes the amendment and fights for their religious freedom rights.
“Illinois can’t force pro-life religious organizations to bend their knee to the state’s secular view of abortion,” ADF Senior Counsel Mark Lippelmann stated in a news release. “The Constitution protects the right of religious organizations to choose workers who will advance — rather than contradict — their religious beliefs. We urge the court to uphold these organizations’ fundamental right to serve their communities consistent with their faith.”
According to the lawsuit, the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford (PCC) is a Christian pro-life ministry that requires its employees to “represent The PCC — and more importantly, the Gospel of Jesus Christ — in their work as well as in their private lives.” Some applicants who are not aligned with PCC’s mission and values have applied for two jobs that are currently open at the organization. Similarly, the Diocese of Springfield has two open positions and seeks to hire practicing Catholics with an understanding and respect for the dignity of life.
“Our employees represent the Diocese and are expected to uphold our standards of conduct to ensure they align with the doctrine and moral teaching of the Catholic Church,” Springfield Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki stated in the news release. “However, under the state law, we cannot hire or retain employees based on our deeply held religious beliefs on pro-life teachings without being subject to disciplinary action. We must have the freedom to follow and express our convictions without government interference.”
According to the lawsuit, the Human Rights Act is closely enforced, and violators “are subject to actual damages, cease-and-desist orders, orders to hire employees with backpay, orders to provide employee accommodations, paying complainants’ costs and attorneys’ fees, and any other action that the State considers necessary to make the complainant whole.”
Attorneys argue that the Act violates the organizations’ constitutional rights to expressive association, free exercise of religion, religious autonomy, free speech, and equal protection.
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