A Labor Department rule that would codify religious defenses contractors can use against allegations of workplace discrimination is now under review at the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
The rule, received by OIRA on April 30, is viewed as a threat to workplace protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Religious rights groups, on the other hand, have applauded the formalized guidance.
The Labor Department listed the rule in its regulatory agenda in October. The new rule would codify already-existing protections under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which allows religious entities to favor workers and applicants ...