Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett signaled a potential divergence from her conservative colleagues during oral arguments in a case that could expand the scope of religious exemptions for nonprofit organizations.
The case—Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin—concerns whether a Catholic-affiliated social services agency must pay into the state's unemployment insurance system, despite its religious mission.
At issue is whether Catholic Charities Bureau qualifies as a religious employer under the First Amendment or whether it should be treated like a secular nonprofit because its primary services—such as job training and housing—do not include religious instruction or worship. If the court sides with Catholic Charities, it could open the door to broader religious exemptions from labor and tax laws.
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