Judge Rules that Feds Can't Force Domino's to Provide Contraception to Employees

Aimee Herd : Mar 18, 2013
AP, FOX News

"It is in the best interest of the public that Monaghan not be compelled to act in conflict with his religious beliefs." -Judge Zatkoff

(Detroit)—Last Thursday saw a victory in the ongoing battle of conscience in relation to the health care law, when US District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff granted a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the law's contraception provision.

Founder of Domino's Pizza, Tom Monaghan—who is Roman Catholic—has called contraception a "gravely immoral" practice. The health insurance he provides to his employees excludes coverage for contraception and abortion, according to the AP report.

Monaghan sold his remaining stock in the Domino's Pizza chain he founded, in 2004. He now runs Domino's Farms Corp., a management company in Michigan that is not connected with Domino's Pizza.

According to the AP report, the HHS mandate (new health care law) requires employers to offer insurance that includes contraception and abortion coverage or they could be fined. Domino's Farms was facing $200,000 yearly payments if the law was enforced against them.

Thomas More Law Center lawyer, Erin Mersino, whose group is representing Monaghan, noted, "The HHS mandate forces our clients to provide abortion-causing drugs to their employees when doing so is a direct violation of the teachings of the Catholic Church and our clients' sincerely held religious beliefs."