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US Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of the United States, which currently has just eight justices, today heard the case brought by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh ("Zubik v. Burwell", which includes similar ones by other religious organizations) that challenges the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provision that employer-paid health insurance plans provide women with access to contraceptives at no additional out-of-pocket cost, and challenges the federal government accommodation offered in 2014 that would have a third-party provide the coverage with costs paid by the federal government. The plaintiffs state that both are unconstitutional because they violate the free exercise of religion. The decision is expected in June. If the result is a split decision (4-4), there would be no national precedent and each case's final decision would be the one made in court before the case was forwarded to the Supreme Court. In the group of cases presented today, all but one appeals court upheld the government mandate.

European migrant crisis

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, announce they are withdrawing from the so-called hotspots on the Greek islands because of the new EU-Turkey deal. UNHCR's Melissa Fleming says, "Under the new provisions, these sites (hotspots) have now become detention facilities." MSF's Marie Elisabeth Ingres says, “We will not allow our assistance to be instrumentalized (sic) for a mass expulsion operation, and we refuse to be part of a system that has no regard for the humanitarian or protection needs of asylum seekers and migrants.”

United States Department of Labor

The U.S. Labor Department releases a long-awaited rule, the so-called persuader rule that was first proposed in 2011. The regulation requires companies to disclose when they seek advice about countering union campaigns. The final rule will apply to contracts beginning on July 1, 2016. Several business groups, such as the National Retail Federation, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, object because the rule limits employers' free speech rights to counter union organizing, it could interfere with attorney-client privilege, etc. Court challenges are expected.