Bush protects workers' "right of conscience"

The Bush administration issued a sweeping regulation Thursday that protects a broad range of health care workers — from doctors to janitors — who refuse to participate in providing services they believe violate their personal, moral or religious beliefs.

The controversial rule empowers federal health officials to cut off funding for any state or local government, hospital, clinic, health plan, doctor's office or other entity if it does not accommodate employees who exercise their "right of conscience." It would apply to more than 584,000 health care facilities.

"Doctors and other health care providers should not be forced to choose between good professional standing and violating their conscience," Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a statement.

The regulation was sought by conservative groups, abortion opponents and others as necessary to safeguard workers from being fired, disciplined or penalized in other ways.

Women's health advocates, family planning proponents, abortion rights activists, members of Congress and others condemned the regulation, saying it would create major obstacles to a variety of health services, including abortion, family planning, end-of-life care and possibly a wide range of scientific research.

The 127-page rule is the latest in a flurry of federal regulations the administration is implementing before President George W. Bush's term ends.

(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...

The controversial rule empowers federal health officials to cut off funding for any state or local government, hospital, clinic, health plan, doctor's office or other entity if it does not accommodate employees who exercise their "right of conscience." It would apply to more than 584,000 health care facilities.

SamCogar wrote:

The controversial rule empowers federal health officials to cut off funding for any state or local government, hospital, clinic, health plan, doctor's office or other entity if it does not accommodate employees who exercise their "right of conscience." It would apply to more than 584,000 health care facilities.

OH MY GAWD, ...... do you realize how much that is going to increase health care costs?

This means that all such entities MUST HAVE a "backup" professional on the job at all times .......for every employee that wishes to exercise their "right of conscience".

.

sodbuster wrote:Well Keli why do you think Bush waited till his term was over to do this instead of 8 years ago?

Keli wrote:

sodbuster wrote:Well Keli why do you think Bush waited till his term was over to do this instead of 8 years ago?

Because people like you would have protested it.

Keli wrote:
Sam,
If a Muslim works in a grocery store as a shelf stocker and, when there is a large number of people wanting to checkout, the shelf stockers are expected to come forward and bag groceries, do you think that he or she should be forced to handle and bag pork or alcohol.

LONDON (AFP) — A Bosnian Muslim waitress has demanded compensation from the London bar where she worked over a red dress she was asked to wear, British media reported Thursday.

Fata Lemes, 33, told an employment tribunal that she felt forced to wear the sleeveless dress with a low neckline and an open back, thought the Rocket bar was run like a "sex club" and filed for 20,000 pounds in compensation......