BJC statement on Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin decision
Hollman: ‘Religious liberty is best secured when accommodations are tailored, fair, and sustainable.’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Karlee Marshall | [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court released its unanimous decision in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission, finding that the denial of a religious exemption for Catholic Charities Bureau under the state’s unemployment compensation laws violated the First Amendment.
The following statement is from BJC General Counsel Holly Hollman:
“The Court’s ruling affirms that religious exercise includes service-based ministries, not just worship or proselytizing. That recognition strengthens legal protections for diverse forms of faith in public life — a principle BJC has long supported.
Still, accommodations must be carefully drawn. If states cannot set reasonable limits, they may respond by offering fewer exemptions. Religious liberty is best secured when accommodations are tailored, fair, and sustainable. Today’s decision should be understood in that light.”
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Hollman and BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler discussed the oral arguments in this case on an episode of the Respecting Religion podcast: S6, Ep. 12: Back to SCOTUS regular business in disturbing times.
BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) is an 89-year-old religiously based organization working to defend faith freedom for all and protect the institutional separation of church and state in the historic Baptist tradition. BJC is the home of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign.
