Thou Shalt Not Discriminate: Fourth Circuit Panel Majority Narrows Title VII’s Religious Organization Exemption
On October 16, 2026, a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that a Catholic humanitarian nonprofit organization violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act (MFEPA) by terminating dependent health insurance coverage for a nonministerial employee’s same-sex spouse.
