Action Alert!
Catholic World News

Victory for New Jersey nurses told to participate in abortions

December 28, 2011

Twelve nurses who say that they were told by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey that they had to participate in abortions have successfully negotiated a settlement with their employer.

“It is a victory because the hospital finally agreed to obey the law and not force our clients to do any work on abortion cases in violation of their beliefs,” said the nurses’ attorney, Matt Bowman of the Alliance Defense Fund. “The hospital agreed not to penalize our clients in any way because they choose to not help abortions, according to their legal rights. The hospital is required to fully staff all abortion cases so that our clients would never be needed for those cases, and the hospital cannot use pro-abortion staff to replace our clients or reduce their hours.”

“The [US district] judge warned the hospital that our clients could return to his court if they were assigned to work abortion cases or if the hospital claims that routine abortions are emergencies,” Bowman added. “We hope that other hospitals will realize that they should agree to obey conscience laws that protect pro-life medical personnel.”

 


For all current news, visit our News home page.


 
Further information:
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

  • Posted by: lauriem5377 - Dec. 28, 2011 6:14 PM ET USA

    a very important Christmas victory!

  • Posted by: John J Plick - Dec. 28, 2011 11:46 AM ET USA

    As a practicing nurse in the NJ State system this "victory" is like so many others I have seen. Someone decides to play the tyrant and abuse any person(s) legitimate constitutional rights either systematically or impulsively and the victim(s) have to go through the trouble to defend themselves. Even when the decision is moral and consistent said tyrant(s) get off scott free with no penalty, as though it was their "right" to abuse the rights of others.Let the abuser be found and a penalty exacted

  • Posted by: spledant7672 - Dec. 28, 2011 11:24 AM ET USA

    Glory to God.