Religious Liberty issue image

Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton

Court Type: U.S. Supreme Court
Status: Closed (Judgment)
Last Update: June 5, 2017

What's at Stake

Whether pension plans established by religiously affiliated health care providers are exempt as 鈥渃hurch plans鈥 from federal law protecting employees鈥 pension rights and retirement benefits.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) provides important protections for employees鈥 pensions, but the statute includes an exemption for a 鈥渃hurch plan.鈥 In three consolidated cases, religiously affiliated health care providers argue that their pension plans fall within the 鈥渃hurch plan鈥 exemption, even though the plans were not 鈥渆stablished鈥 by a church. In an amicus brief filed with Americans United for Separation of Church and State and People For the American Way Foundation, the 老澳门开奖结果, 老澳门开奖结果 of Illinois, 老澳门开奖结果 of Northern California, and 老澳门开奖结果 of New Jersey argue that extending the exemption to these large health-care institutions would violate the Establishment Clause by favoring religious employers at the expense of their employees鈥 important statutory rights.

Update (6/21/17): The Supreme Court held on statutory grounds that pension plans established by religiously affiliated health care providers are exempt as 鈥渃hurch plans.鈥

Support our on-going litigation and work in the courts

Learn More 老澳门开奖结果 the Issues in This Case