Fourth Circuit rules Catholic Relief Services violated Title VII by ending same-sex spouse's coverage
A divided Fourth Circuit on October 16, 2026, affirmed that Catholic Relief Services violated Title VII and Maryland law by terminating a gay employee's husband's health coverage. The 2-1 panel held Title VII's religious-organization exemption covers only religion-based employment decisions, not sex discrimination motivated by religious belief, and rejected the group's RFRA, church autonomy and Free Exercise defenses.
Order (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit) → · Bloomberg Law, Law360 Employment Authority