Resources

Client Alerts, News Articles, Blog Posts, & Multimedia

Everything you need to know about BMD and the industry.

Ministerial Exception to Title VII

Client Alert
July 9, 2020

On July 8, 2020, the United States Supreme Court issued a 7–2 decision holding that religious institutions, such as churches and religion-based schools, are shielded from employment discrimination lawsuits — including claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In doing so, the Court decided in favor of two Catholic schools facing legal discrimination claims from former teachers who alleged wrongful termination from their employment for age and disability.

The cases, Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel, concern the ministerial exception to employment discrimination laws which protect religious employers from certain lawsuits brought by employees. The exception, arising from protections under the First Amendment, bars the government from interfering with religious institutions’ hiring and firing of clergy.

The ruling ultimately broadens the ministerial exception to Title VII by holding that school teachers who perform a religious role in the course of their employment fall within a ministerial exception from civil rights protections afforded to other employees. To be under the exception, the individual does not need to be ordained and religion duties need only to make up a small portion of their overall responsibilities.

Here, the expanded ministerial exemption means that employees at religious institutions who perform any religious role will no longer be able to sue for sexual harassment, equal pay, and other civil rights protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

For more information, contact Bryan Meek at bmeek@bmdllc.com.

Title VIIUnited States Supreme Courtreligious institutionschurchesreligious schoolsemployment discriminationlawsuitsclaimsCivil Rights Act of 1964catholic schoolswrongful terminationemploymentagedisability
Client Alert

USCIS Policy Change Impacting Work Authorization: Advisory for Employers and Human Resources

December 8, 2025USCIS has issued a policy memorandum pausing immigration benefit processing for individuals from 19 high-risk countries and requiring a re-review of certain previously approved cases. This change may affect work authorization, employment verification, and workforce stability. Employers and HR teams should review impacted employees and update compliance procedures.Client Alert

CMS Releases CY 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule with Key Payment and Telehealth Updates

December 4, 2025CMS issued the CY 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule on October 31, 2025, with changes effective January 1, 2026. The Final Rule includes increases to the conversion factor, a new efficiency adjustment, updates to practice expense methodology, permanent telehealth policy changes, revised payment for skin substitutes, expanded rules for Part B drugs and biologicals, enhanced policies for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers, and new care management and behavioral health services.Client Alert

Ohio Department of Medicaid Updates: Key Changes to Physician Reimbursement Rates in Early Parenthood

December 3, 2025The Ohio Department of Medicaid has proposed amending Ohio Administrative Code Rule related to covered Medicaid reimbursements for physicians. Beginning on January 1, 2026, they are proposing an increase to rates for prenatal care, childbirth, and infant care and provider visits.Client Alert

Name, Image, and Likeness Agreements in Healthcare

November 14, 2025For example, some healthcare providers have begun to utilize "Name, Image, and Likeness" agreements to promote the brand they have created through their healthcare practice.  We have seen the most healthcare NIL activity with longevity and wellness providers, as well as orthopedics.Client Alert

Compounding GLP-1 Drugs - Recent Updates

November 13, 2025Recent guidance from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy (“BOP”) indicates that providers should generally use the FDA approved GLP-1 drug, rather than a non-FDA approved compounded version of the medication. Importantly, if a GLP-1 drug is commercially available, it cannot be copied through compounding. Currently, compounded copies of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide are not permitted.
Older posts