A new Justice Department policy will make it easier for faith-based groups that receive federal funding to discriminate in hiring based on religion. The Roundtable's Claire Hughes has the details:
In a posting on its website last month, the department's Office of Justice Programs recommends that faith-based organizations be exempted from the employment nondiscrimination rules attached to some federal grants. In order to qualify for the exemptions, the nonprofits would have to show that forgoing either their religious preference in hiring or their capacity to provide services with federal funds would hinder their right to religious exercise. The Justice Department bases its recommendation on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.
Religious groups have long been exempt from non-discrimination laws in their own hiring of religious personnel. But that has not been extended to social service employment funded by the federal government. Under this new reading of RFRA, tax dollars could go directly to hire personnel based on their religion. You can read the new Justice Department posting here (pdf).
