A former CVS Health nurse practitioner is suing the pharmacy chain for firing her after she refused to prescribe birth control, citing her religious beliefs.
Texas resident J. Robyn Strader said in the suit that her Baptist faith prevents her from prescribing contraceptive and abortion-inducing drugs. She said that for 6½ years, CVS granted her a religious accommodation to forgo having to prescribe the drugs at the CVS MinuteClinic where she worked. When customers needed the prescriptions, she would refer them to a colleague or another CVS MinuteClinic.
But in August 2021, CVS said it was revoking all religious accommodations. That is illegal, Strader and her attorneys argue, citing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which says employers cannot “avoid accommodating a religious practice that it could accommodate without undue hardship," and another court decision that says religious accommodation requests must be considered on an individual employee basis.
CVS spokesperson Mike DeAngeles said in an email that “educating and treating patients regarding sexual health matters — including pregnancy prevention” — had become “essential” as the company had expanded its clinic services and that it could not grant a religious accommodation excusing employees from them.
CVS faces at least two other lawsuits in federal court brought by former nurse practitioners in Kansas and Virginia who say they were fired over the policy.
CVS’ biggest competitor, Walgreens, has previously come under scrutiny for its policy allowing employees to refuse to carry out some transactions, including dispensing contraceptives, that clash with their religious beliefs. The company has said that in such instances employees can refer customers to other colleagues.
