Reference no: EM13915115

In an article by Pear in the New York Times (2014); the author reported that:

The Obama administration urged the Supreme Court on Friday to reject a lawsuit filed by the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order of Roman Catholic nuns challenging requirements for many employers to provide health insurance coverage for birth control or face penalties under the new health care law.

The Justice Department said the requirements did not impose a "substantial burden" on the nuns' exercise of religion because they could "opt out" of the obligation by certifying that they had religious objections to such coverage.

"The government demands that the Little Sisters of the Poor sign a permission slip for abortion drugs and contraceptives, or pay millions of dollars in fines," said Mark L. Rienzi, a lawyer at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who represented the nuns in the lawsuit. "The sisters believe that doing that violates their faith."

Pear. 2014. Justices Are Asked to Reject Nuns' Challenge to Health Law. The New York Times. Retrieved January4, 2014 from: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/04/us/politics/obama-administration-urges-court-to-reject-nuns-health-law-challenge.html

Describe the ethical and legal implications of this case from the Sister of the Poor viewpoint and from the Obama administration's view.