HHS Investigates a Major Health System in Michigan to Safeguard Health Care Workers’ Conscience Rights

HHS’ Office for Civil Rights Reviews a Major Health System’s Compliance with the Church Amendments

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) launched an investigation of a major health system in Michigan based on allegations that an organizational health care provider within that system allegedly fired a medical professional for exercising her Federally protected rights of conscience.  The medical professional allegedly requested religious accommodations from certain employment practices, such as practices requiring use of patient pronouns that do not align with the patient’s sex, and from assisting in certain sex trait modification procedures, which she opposed due to her religious beliefs. 

OCR facilitates and coordinates the Department’s enforcement of the Federal health care conscience protection statutes and certain religious nondiscrimination statutes.  The Federal health care conscience protection statutes protect individuals, health care entities, and providers from discrimination in health care by government or government-funded entities based on the exercise of religious beliefs or moral convictions.  OCR initiated the investigation announced today under conscience protection laws collectively known as the Church Amendments.

“OCR is committed to enforcing Federal conscience laws in health care,” said Paula M. Stannard, OCR Director.  “Health care workers should be able to practice both their professions and their faith.”

The investigation will probe whether the health system has policies consistent with the Church Amendments for accommodating health care workers with religious beliefs or moral convictions that are contrary to certain procedures or certain health service programs.  The investigation will also examine the specific circumstances pertaining to the medical professional’s allegations that she was fired from the organizational health provider for exercising her religious beliefs.

This investigation is the third investigation during the second term of the Trump Administration to determine an entity’s compliance with Federal laws that safeguard health care professionals’ conscience rights in health care.  Today’s announcement is part of a larger effort to strengthen enforcement of laws protecting conscience and religious exercise.   

OCR enforces Federal protections against discrimination based on conscience and religion in specific programs funded by HHS Federal financial assistance.  OCR also enforces Federal religious nondiscrimination provisions in grant and block grant programs that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of religion.  For more information, visit https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/your-protections-against-discrimination-based-on-conscience-and-religion/index.html.

If you believe that you or someone else has been discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, or the exercise of conscience in programs or activities that HHS directly operates or for which HHS provides Federal financial assistance, you may file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights at: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html.

Follow HHS OCR on X (formerly Twitter) at @HHSOCR.