Nurse practitioner says CVS fired her for refusing to give abortion drugs

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

A former nurse practitioner who worked at an Alexandria, Va., MinuteClinic is suing CVS Health, alleging that the company fired her because she refused on religious grounds to give certain contraceptives or “abortion-causing” drugs.

Attorneys for Paige Casey said in a lawsuit filed in Prince William County Circuit Court that CVS, which owns MinuteClinic, exempted the nurse for more than 2½ years from prescribing certain contraceptive drugs or devices that cause an abortion. It specifically cited Plan B and Ella, which are commonly referred to as morning-after pills. Casey was granted the accommodation after she wrote a request to the company stating her Catholic beliefs, the lawsuit said.

That changed in August 2021, when the Rhode Island-based company announced that its employees could no longer avoid prescribing abortion-inducing drugs and other forms of birth control, the lawsuit said.

“We are entering some dangerous territory if corporations can fire someone for exercising their religious beliefs,” said Denise Harle, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian, conservative legal group representing Casey in the case. “Tolerance goes two ways.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/01/cvs-nurse-fired-abortion-pills/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wp_main

[DURHAM D]

1. Good nt

[live love laugh]

76. ✔️

[elleng]

2. They're wrong, for firing her due to change in policy.

They would have been justified to not hire her initially.

IMO

[brooklynite]

7. Absolutely wrong...

Policies change frequently. We no longer accept cash. We're selling a new product. We have a new shelf stocking process. Unless the work tasks are specified by a collective bargaining agreement, the employee implements the new policy, quits or is fired.

[Polybius]

26. NYC's "not accepting cash" policies have got to go

I was totally caught of guard when I went to Citi Field this Spring.

[oldsoftie]

82. Its happening in lots of places and it SUCKS. We should ALWAYS have the option to use cash

[riversedge]

28. Religion seems to be a special category. If this goes up the current SC, I fear it will become

enshrined for all--like the anti-abortion decision. But this is probably the goal. \ I wonder who is paying for this.

[Danascot]

38. That's exactly what I was thinking

Go ahead SCOTUS, issue another ruling that proves you're the American Taliban. FAFO

[Texin]

85. Depends on state law as to "the right to work" or workers in unions who have

organized and unionized, and are part of a collective bargaining agreement.

[pnwmom]

9. If she's an at-will employee, then they would be free to fire her except

that VA has some law that protect pharma techs who don't want to sell drugs that cause abortions.

Preventing ovulation doesn't cause an abortion, but preventing implantation does -- for those who accept the Catholic definition of a pregnancy beginning when an egg is fertilized.

[Turbineguy]

32. The people who cook up these laws

don't know much about biology.

[Orrex]

21. FWIW every job I've ever had has included a "policies will change" clause

And in every case, the initial paperwork, signed upon hiring (or orientation or whatever equivalent) stipulates that the employee will adhere to policy and to future policy changes.

I'm sure that there are jobs where that's not the case, but the current situation doesn't appear to be one of them.

[azureblue]

75. The issue

is the weasel words "Abortion Causing Drugs"-- IOW, any drug that could even as a side effect, cause an abortion. And there are many life saving drugs that have that possible side effect. These hypocritical anti abortionists risk killing women who take these drugs, by denying them, for "religious reasons"

I am all for asking these nuts "are you Baptist? Then I refuse to be waited on by a Baptist, whose church is well know for racism,pro slavery, subjugation of women, and cherry picking Bible verses. It says clearly in the Bible to not eat pork, so unless this person proves to me they are not sinning by eating pork, then I do not even want to see their face."

[SouthernDem4ever]

3. Good.

She take religious crap elsewhere. Why not apply at Hobby Lobby?

[BradAllison]

4. Good

Do your job, lady.

[Abigail_Adams]

5. This. I have no sympathy

for her or other pharmacists who try to impose their religion on patients. If you're not willing to do all the job requires, you picked the wrong career field.

[cab67]

6. buh-bye

[Doodley]

8. Tip: Don't get a job as a roofer if you don't like heights. Don't get a job as a vet if you don't

like animals. Don't get a job if you aren't willing to carry out the functions of that job. And stop being a whiny little bitch about it.

[ironflange]

17. +1

[Mr.Bill]

22. This is why there are no

Amish cab drivers.

[madinmaryland]

61. Same about Amish electricians.

[crickets]

63. Exactly this. Thank you. nt

[Warpy]

10. Too prissy to do your job? Open a storefront church, instead

I don't have any sympathy at all for these people.

Besides, if she doesn't know how Plan B works, she shouldn't have been hired in the first place, she obviously slept through party of pharmy class while staying wide awake in church.

(Plan B: suppresses ovulation. No ovulation, no fertilization. No fertilization, no implantation. No implantation, no pregnancy. No pregnancy, NO ABORTION. This is not difficult to understand.)

[Enter stage left]

13. WHAT WARPY SAID X 1,000

[Hugh_Lebowski]

47. Not 100% true, it also helps inhibit implantation by causing endometrial changes

If that were not true it would be a much less effective drug than it is*

Just sayin'

* per my PA girlfriend who's sitting right here

[Warpy]

57. No implantation, no pregnancy. No pregnancy, NO ABORTION.

Fertilized ova are flushed out fairly frequently, usually because the timing wasn't quite right or implantation just didn't occur.

It says right on the label that it won't interfere with an established pregnancy, meaning implantation has occurred at whatever stage it happens to be.

No matter how church men try to twist things around, they are on quicksand here.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

58. I was only pointing out that prevention of ovulation is not the only active effect of Plan B

As that was suggested in the post I was replying to.

The fact that it inhibits implantation of fertilized egg is those peoples 'argument' against it.

And obviously we (like, everyone on DU) think it's a bullshit reason to be against it

[Kenneth Almquist]

89. Likely 100% true

According to this source, which appears to be reliable:

Most research suggests that Plan B does not cause changes in the endometrium, or lining of the uterus. Because of this, researchers have concluded it cannot prevent implantation of a fertilized egg.

The footnote for the passage quoted above cites a literature review whose abstract states that inserting a copper intrauterine device is the most effective emergency contraception method, probably because, unlike Plan B, it does act both to prevent fertilization in the first place and to inhibit implantation if fertilization does occur.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

93. Sorry I typed "how does plan b work" into google

First thing:

Plan B works like other birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. Plan B acts primarily by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation). It may prevent the union of sperm and egg (fertilization). If fertilization does occur, Plan B may prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the womb (implantation).

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/fdas-decision-regarding-plan-b-questions-and-answers

[Warpy]

98. Watch those weasel words!

It may prevent the union of sperm and egg (fertilization). If fertilization does occur, Plan B may prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the womb

IOW, "We've never actually observed this either in vitro or in vivo, but we're trying to cover all bases so we don't get excommunicated."

[Hugh_Lebowski]

99. I presumed 'may' meant it does not 100% reliably do those 2 things in all cases

I don't generally assume the FDA is using weasel words, nor are they in danger of excommunication.

I'z just giving my source. If it's wrong, it's wrong. Whatever

[Warpy]

100. "Suspected, NOT PROVEN"

is how you need to start reading health pronouncements. There's a lot of junk information out there.

I expected better of the FDA but I guess they've still got TFG's foul smell hanging around.

[niyad]

11. BS. The religious bigots have NO tolerance. Get another job, you sanctimonious

little power-tripper.

[RockRaven]

12. If you're not performing the job, you're not performing the job. Go find one you want to perform.

Prescribing those medications (among many others, yes, but nonetheless) as medically appropriate is the job. Do the job, or walk away. It's fine if you want to walk away. No judgment. Nobody cares. Bye-bye and good luck and Godspeed and all that.

It's utterly asinine to claim it is your religious right to have and be paid for a job you refuse to perform.

[forgotmylogin]

14. If you're afraid of clowns, don't work in the goddamn circus. n/t

[DFW]

15. I would reply saying CVS religiously believes

In the “are created equal” part of the Declaration of Independence and the separation of church and state part of the Constitution, thereby making it impossible to further employ someone who thinks it’s ok to discriminate against customers merely for the medications they seek to buy. They might as well say it’s OK for a vegan cashier at a food store to refuse service to someone wishing to purchase a steak.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. If you give these people room they'll be nailing crosses on the outside of all businesses

She got fired because CVS is not a church. It's not her job duty to practice her religion there, on others, who may or may not agree with her. Her job is to do her job.

[hamsterjill]

91. Exactly.

Everywhere I’ve been hired before, there is a job description of the duties expected to be performed. I would imagine CVS has something like that. When one agrees to take a job, one agrees to do the duties associated with that job.

[Judi Lynn]

18. Bless their hearts for doing their duty. n/t

[geretogo]

19. This nurse should move to Afganistan where church and state are one and the same .

[sakabatou]

20. The nurse could've just asked for someone else to hand over the medication

instead of making a hissy-fit by using her religion as a crutch.

[durablend]

72. But then she couldn't whine about being persecuted

[Deminpenn]

23. Why is she complaining?

CVS granted her her 100% religious freedom.

[pacheen]

24. How about this, lady

Get a job at a Catholic hospital!

There. Problem solved. No need for a lawsuit.

[stopdiggin]

25. interestingly enough, completely contrary to what

we were discussing a few weeks back ..

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216976543
CVS Pharmacy has similar policy to Walgreens, allows pharmacists to deny birth control prescriptions

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216968953
CVS is requiring verification that scrips are not for abortions. We need to tell CVS

[LoisB]

27. Why go into the healthcare field if you're not prepared to provide ALL healthcare?

[BlueMTexpat]

29. Good for CVS! eom

[Mike Nelson]

30. Hmm...

... some time ago, I would say, "Why is she working in the CVS pharmacy dept?" if she is uncomfortable with these views. If you work in a library, you need to help people find Heather Has Two Mommies and The Bible. Now, with the recent SC decision, she may have a case, depending on her area; also, she may be working with Christian lawyers to plan this as a case.

[old guy]

60. I think you're on to something.

[XanaDUer2]

84. When I was a librarian

You helped EVERYONE. your personal thoughts and feelings didn't enter into it. Unless that's changed.

[ashredux]

31. The question is...Did she just get the religion over the last few months?

All of this sudden refusal by some people to supply people with legal medication, is a political statement, not any religious statement. They use religion to cover their bigoted politics

[lonely bird]

34. Yup...

When you mix religion and politics, you get politics. Both suffer.

[mwb970]

39. "They use religion to cover their bigoted politics."

This is a thumbnail description of the entire conservative movement in America.

[stopdiggin]

77. got it completely backward

It was the company that changed course - after providing 2 and a half years of specific exemption. The woman's position has/had been consistent throughout the course of her employment.

This might not change where people choose to line up on this case - but it has the benefit of being more accurate.

[JT45242]

33. They are not stopping her religion...they are making her do her job!

In the pre sinister 6 and Moscow Mitch flooded SCOTUS, she would have zero leg to stand on.

Did they say that you cannot go to the church of your choosing or your fired? Nope.
Did they say if you cannot pray to the God of your choosing or your fired? Nope.

They said if you do not follow the medical guidelines and order and fill prescriptions as directed (your job), then you are fired.

If she wants to only dispense certain medication and not others because she is a Catholic, then go work in a Catholic hospital. They have bought over a third of all hospital and clinics over the last 40 years to force their views on people.

They did not fire her because she was a Catholic, they fired her for not doing her job.

But....the sinister six of fake SCOTUS will likely rule in her favor if we don't get 53 senators and expand the court to match the number of appellate zoned.

[Scrivener7]

35. Good she's fired bc she's not doing her job and intentionally shaming customers.

But CVS needs to make it clear that they have changed their minds and this is their policy now so their customers know they won't be pilloried if they run into a god bothering pharmacist.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

45. In this case it's not a pharmacist refusing to fill

It's an NP refusing to write the Rx.

Patients can get f***ed over at both ends of the process.

[Scrivener7]

50. Whatever. She's an employee of the company and the result to the patient

is the same.

First, someone with no connection to her is making decisions that affect the rest of her life.

Second, whether it is in front of other customers or just going up the management chain with a complaint, this exposes the patient's most private and most emotionally sensitive information for the scrutiny and judgment of people who have nothing to do with her.

[Smackdown2019]

36. What ai dont get on this is this

She is a nurse practitioner and working at CVS. Pharmacist dispense prescriptions to patients, nurse practitioners perform limited assignment of writs of prescriptions. What was she doing for CVS as a nurse practitioner?

[Hugh_Lebowski]

44. She worked in the Minute Clinic which is inside a CVS store

And wouldn't write a prescription for Plan B.

[Scrivener7]

52. But here's a wrinkle to this whole story. You don't need a prescription for PlanB.

https://www.healthline.com/health/emergency-contraception/plan-b-cost

While you typically need to request it if purchasing at a pharmacy, you do not need a prescription or ID to obtain Plan B.

So WTF is all this anyway?

Is this a marketing bullshit story to counteract the revelation a couple of weeks ago that CVS and Walgreens are now allowing their employees not to provide "abortifacients" (like the effective rheumatoid arthritis and cancer drug methotrexate) if they object to abortion?

[Hugh_Lebowski]

54. Yeah I was wondering about that as well

My wife used it one time and there was no Rx needed. But that was in CA. Thought maybe other states might be different and I didn't know it, possibly?

Otherwise the whole thing makes little sense.

Maybe it's just because this NP was refusing to ever 'recommend' it to anyone who came in, and a patient was (rightly) pissed that this NP didn't even mention it existed ... or maybe refused to talk about it, how it works, and/or attempted to dissuade her from using it when patient mentioned/inquired about it ... which the patient feels caused her harm.

[mwb970]

37. If you can't do your job for some reason, GET ANOTHER JOB.

Duh.

[Marthe48]

40. Good

Fire all of the employees not willing to do the job they hired in for. Let that nurse go to a drugstore who won't sell Plan B, Ella, or condoms at all, and see which store stays in business longer. Meddling cow.

[sindri]

41. True religious exemptions

and allowances in the workplace have no impact on the customers. They are about the employee themselves - needing prayer breaks, food restrictions, or allowances for how they dress, what they touch, etc. These MAGA people are abusing this by trying to extend their religion to the customer. Microfascisms where they want to have the right to tell others what is best for them. That is the MAGA MO - making the country "great" not by making themselves better, but by bringing everyone else down to their level. Like how the denigrate people smarter or more talented than them (calling them elitist) and those who are more Jesusy than them (calling them socialists). I don't call them evil, just emotionally and spiritually immature.

[sarge43]

71. Well said and welcome to DU. n/t

[Conjuay]

42. Well,

I'm sure she can get a job not doing what she was hired to do somewhere else.

I hear the job market is wide open, two jobs available for every candidate.

[TNNurse]

43. You did not do your job.

You were not hired to decide what others can do with their lives.

[bluestarone]

46. I fear she is going to win this lawsuit. (fucking religion,(her type) is defeating our country)

I would rather see a HUGE monetary fine imposed on anyone not fulfilling their DUTIES! Make them PAY A PRICE EVERYTIME they refuse to do their job!

[Buckeye_Democrat]

48. You were on a slippery slope, Nurse Ratched.

I mean, Nurse Casey. Find another job!

Would you refuse to prescribe my chemo pills too?
https://www.erivedge.com/
----------
Serious Side Effects
Erivedge can cause your baby to die before it is born (be stillborn) or cause your baby to have severe birth defects.

For females who can become pregnant:
You should talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of Erivedge to your unborn child
Your healthcare provider will do a pregnancy test within 7 days before you start taking Erivedge
In order to avoid pregnancy, you should use birth control during treatment and for 24 months after your final dose of Erivedge. Talk with your healthcare provider about what birth control method is right for you during this time
Talk to your healthcare provider right away if you have unprotected sex or if you think that your birth control has failed
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think that you may be pregnant

For males:
Erivedge is present in semen. Do not donate semen while you are taking Erivedge and for 3 months after your final dose
You should always use a condom, even if you have had a vasectomy, during sex with female partners who are pregnant or who are able to become pregnant, during treatment with Erivedge, and for 3 months after your final dose to protect your female partner from being exposed to Erivedge
Tell your healthcare provider right away if your partner becomes pregnant or thinks she is pregnant while you are taking Erivedge
----------

[Better Days Ahoy]

92. A most excellent example

Thanks for making this religious rights lunacy pellucidly clear.

[kaotikross]

49. Why is a Nurse Practitioner

working at a CVS anyway? I suspect she's had problems keeping a job in a healthcare setting.

[Scrivener7]

53. And why are people asking her for prescriptions for drugs that don't require prescriptions?

[Mr.Bill]

64. And why is a Nurse Practitioner

working at the counter in a drug store?

[niyad]

55. In their clinic, apparently. My King Sooper's pharmacy has a clinic with it.

[TexasBushwhacker]

67. Yeah. Why doesn't she work at a Catholic hospital? N/t

[zanana1]

51. So if I'm a Satanist...

I can refuse to sell a cross necklace?

[LiberalFighter]

56. A refusal should require the woman to pay for all medical and other costs

Related to the refusal.

[yankee87]

59. Work at those fake pregnancy crisis center

After what happened when my wife was bleeding out from a miscarriage, and a "pro-birth" doctor wanted to wait for an enzyme test to come back until he treated her. Luckily, I came from work, went into the room, blood everywhere and screamed. Another doctor had to take care of her.
If you don't want to help your patients, leave the medical field. What next, not helping our LGBTQI or minority people?

[2abigbman]

62. Your beliefs are ***

Your beliefs are your beliefs. No private citizen or organizations can impose them on anyone else. MAGAS want to impose their despicable views on everybody. If she chooses her beliefs than her public job suffer the consequences

[AllyCat]

65. Great. They should lose their license too.

Cannot provide adequate medical care? Find a new job.

[BlueIdaho]

66. Yank her license.

Your religion is no excuse for refusing to fill a legally written prescription. We need stop this nonsense NOW!

[Martin68]

68. The situation has changed. Roe no longer protects women. CVS knows a profit-making opportunity

like everyone else. Sorry, Nurse Casey, the rules have changed in response to the Supreme Court decision.

[Sky Jewels]

69. Buh bye, ya whack job.

[Owl]

70. Good!

Glad to hear.

[Heather MC]

73. Maybe don't work in places that sell conception🤷🏾‍♀️

This is stupid.

This is like a person who says drinking alcohol is against their religion, Get a job at a bar, and refuses to serve alcohol at a bar
What does her personal religion have to do with some customer coming in and meeting an item that CVS sales? That's stupid.

If you're religion informs your life that much, go get a job at a church and leave the rest of us alone

[Alpeduez21]

74. fuck you you fuckety fuck. n/t

[cannabis_flower]

78. I don't have a problem with

A person being exempt from filling prescriptions that they find against their religion, as long as there is always another pharmacist there who can fulfill that roll.

[Ziggysmom]

79. If you refuse to provide care, choose a different profession you dolt!

https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/refusing-provide-health-services

[Spiggitzfan]

80. Good

[argyl]

81. Freedom FROM religion. I don't know if they'll ever comprehend this.

But religion had nothing to do with her losing her job. She was fired for failing to do her job. If your job is, among other things, filling legally obtained prescriptions, and you refuse to do it under any circumstances, you're in dereliction of duty and need to be shown the door.

[SuperCoder]

83. Good.

Good.

[Snackshack]

86. "Tolerance goes two ways."

No, not in this case it doesn’t. The person working as the Pharmacist either is a Pharmacist or they are not. Their “personal feelings” do not matter if they can’t do the job quit.

This eats at the very fabric of society. It must be pushed back on always.

[Laffy Kat]

87. Good! They should have fired her.

If you work in a liquor store, you're going to have to sell booze regardless of your religion, so how is this different? I honestly think it should be a condition of employment. Employers don't have to ask about applicants' religious believes, just if they have any problems selling ANY products. If so, don't hire them.

[Zambero]

88. Why would she choose to work there to begin with?

Since evil CVS distributes those horrible "baby killers" and "baby preventers", a person of such "devout conviction" should not want anything to do with them. She somehow compartmentalized her values and collected a paycheck from an avowed baby-killing enterprise. How on God's good earth does she sleep at night?

[Takket]

90. we're entering "dangerous territory"

when person's religious beliefs are allowed to be cast beyond their own selves to influence and effect the lives of others. This is why the FF gave INDIVIDUALS freedom of religion but at the same time prevented government from instituting a state religion. So that you could do what you feel is right for YOU, but you could not impose that believe on anyone else, or your employer for that matter.

YOU don't have to take pills or undergo procedures you do not agree with.

BUT you CANNOT force that belief on someone else's person, denying them perfectly legal medications, simple because you don't agree with them.

[Vinca]

94. People who want to impose their own beliefs at the expense of the beliefs of others should

find themselves jobs that don't involve whatever it is they've got their panties in a knot over.

[quaker bill]

95. I have refused jobs

One because the work (polymer chemistry) had specific application to weapons systems. Another because it was a lovely job working with manatee conservation but would occasionally require carrying a gun and potentially using a gun to enforce law.

Being a Quaker, I did not feel i could commit to do either, so I passed on both and found a different path. I never considered asking the employer to accomodate my convictions in this regard, I simply found work consistent with my values.

I would suggest the same to others.

[dchill]

96. And?

[Withywindle]

97. Good

If your religion forbids alcohol that's your business, but don't get a job in a bar.