New York State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) and Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern) introduced a bill last week that would ban employers from discriminating against employees based on their reproductive health decisions.
“Employers should not have the right to make healthcare decisions for their employees,” said Assemblymember Jaffee in a statement. “Denying millions of women access to affordable birth control is denying them fair and equal access to basic preventive health care. This legislation is a step in the right direction: It will guarantee New York women, not their employers, the freedom and fundamental right to make their own personal healthcare decisions about what is best for them and their families.”
The “Boss Bill” would close a loophole in New York’s current workplace anti-discrimination laws to ensure women are not discriminated against for their personal reproductive health choices and to protect their privacy. Krueger and Jaffee drafted it in response to the over 100 federal lawsuits by employers trying to avoid the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) contraception mandate, which requires employers to provide coverage for FDA-approved contraceptives, including the pill and IUDs, without co-pays or deductibles.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments related to the Hobby Lobby craft store chain’s lawsuit against the ACA mandate on March 25.
TAKE ACTION: Send a clear message to the Supreme Court that companies should not be able to use religion as cover to discriminate against women. Leave stories and tell the Court why BC coverage matters to you! Share the petition online using the tag #MyBodyMyBC!
Media Resources: NY Senate 3/15/14; Legislative Gazette 3/10/14; RH Reality Check 3/11/14; Change.org; Feminist Newswire 11/26/13