Dude naw.
Some nutbag in Arizona — a woman, no less — authored a bill that would allow employers to interrogate their female employees about their sexual practices.
No seriously.
You might want to sit down for this one, actually.
Ready?
You see, if a female employee seeks a medical prescription for contraception, an employer will be permitted to ask that employee for proof that she doesn’t plan to use the contraception for slutty fuck-making. Using it for medical reasons is ok — that’s medicine.
So, if you’re one of those women who uses slutpills for non-slutty reasons, then you’re ok. You’ll get to keep your job. Enjoy your ovarian cancer or your acne or whatever, but make sure you put that red cover on your TPS reports or the boss’ll have your head.
But if you’re running around like some sort of whore-nympho, then you better keep that shit on the down-low, because if The Man finds out you might-could get fired:
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-2 Monday to endorse a controversial bill that would allow Arizona employers the right to deny health insurance coverage for contraceptives based on religious objections.
Arizona House Bill 2625, authored by Majority Whip Debbie Lesko, R-Glendale, would permit employers to ask their employees for proof of medical prescription if they seek contraceptives for non-reproductive purposes, such as hormone control or acne treatment.
“I believe we live in America. We don’t live in the Soviet Union,” Lesko said. “So, government should not be telling the organizations or mom and pop employers to do something against their moral beliefs.”
Lesko said this bill responds to a contraceptive mandate in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law March 2010.
“My whole legislation is about our First Amendment rights and freedom of religion,” Lesko said. “All my bill does is that an employer can opt out of the mandate if they have any religious objections.”
Glendale resident Liza Love said the bill would impose on women’s rights to keep their medical records private.
Love spoke to the committee about her struggle with polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis, conditions requiring her to use birth control.
“I wouldn’t mind showing my employer my medical records,” Love said. “But there are 10 women behind me that would be ashamed to do so.”
(read the rest)
This bill has no chance of becoming law***, but that’s not the point, is it?
We’re surrounded by fucking lunatics and I want off this planet.
***As a BJ commenter pointed out, it’s Arizona. It has a chance of becoming law. To clarify, I meant that the law has no chance of remaining law after the courts have their way with it. This shit isn’t going to fly in the Ninth Circuit, in my opinion.
UPDATE: I’m so full of vagina outrage that I’m not being as clear as I should be. Arizona is an “at-will-employment” state, which means that employers do not need a reason to fire an employee. Theoretically, if an employer finds out that an employee wants to use birth control for preventing pregnancies, that employer would be within his or her legal right to fire the employee for being a nympho-whore (while couching it in other terms).
(h/t Jezebel)
[cross-posted at Balloon Juice]
yet again, the arizona legislature proves it is a moral wasteland.
Brian,
Remember, these good citizens of Arizona have the “moral imperative” to make sure that all of us follow them blindly. Because they know what’s “right”, right?
Does anyone have a spare bomb or three that we could drop on Arizona? Seems to me that from what I’ve seen of that state in the last four years, it doesn’t deserve to be around anymore.
Please don’t bomb Az, it’s too beautiful to get rid of… just get new people to populate it! I was born out there and am very proud of the LAND I come from but can’t understand where they get off doing things like this to people! I think all of the hippies need to move out there and help create more balance in the state.
What’s next? I have to prove that the Prozac I take is because I’m only slightly crazy and not BATSHIT crazy??
@Shannon only if you work for Scientologists. lol
So basically, these folks are just acting silly at this point…:/
Ah, these fuckers have shot WAY past silly.
This is by a batshit crazy woman! WTH? I am going to have to move out of the country if any of these batshit crazies get into office or the courts agree with this shit.
I think it’s time to ask the women who are promulgating this why they’re in office. Seriously, they should be back at home and in the kitchen, popping out yet another rugrat. After all, that’s what they seem to believe, what they want to force other women to do, so why not them?
I admit that my desire to be productive at work has significantly cut into my monitoring the insanity. Has anyone seriously run this “moral objection” stuff to its logical conclusion? There are scriptural/religious reasons to object to A LOT of stuff. Got the gay? No healthcare for you! Fat? Smoke? Drink? Make any lifestyle choices that do not treat your body like a temple? Objection! Not my religion? Let your God pay for your healthcare. I’d go on for my own amusement, but I feel ill.
An employer should be able to terminate an employee for any reason. The job belongs to the employer and unless the employee has an explicit contract with the company, if the employer feels that an employee is not suited for the job for whatever reason, then terminating the employment is their prerogative.
Really Shane? Well, we’ll see if you still feel the same way when it happens to you…and trust me…it will…
i think the discussion here was explicitly about a bill that permits religious or moral beliefs to allow for denial of insurance coverage, not the firing of employees.
that said, what you seem to be advocating is a job market where i (as an atheist business owner) can fire any “crazy wingnut” religious person.
moral disagreement with your boss does not make you unsuited for a job.
poor attendance, poor performance, lack of skills or ability to do ones job are disqualifiers, while an individual’s personal religious or moral beliefs are certainly not. especially when those views are that women should be able to plan their own family, regardless of how slutty they may or may not be.
Privileged white male ahoy!
Far too often people assume that any white male born into privilege simply sits on his ass day in and day out, having everything delivered to them on a silver platter. This is precisely why those people in turn, expect everything to be handed to them, from the aforementioned man and his peers. There are people born to wealth that work harder than nearly every person who claims to be underprivileged or misunderstood. Those people, like yourself who resort to frivolous name-calling over reasoned discussion are why people like me advocate things like at will employment. Any cause is just cause if an employer views an employee as a hindrance to the company’s well-being. Regardless of how much they may deny it, an individual’s personal life always affects how they approach their job.
If an employer is going to pay for any type of medical service or product, he or she should be allowed to assess how it may or may not affect the employee’s job performance.
This post shows that you are completely unaware by what one means by “privilege”.
Hi Shane. How about this hypothetical scenario: I run a business and employ you. You do a good job and I pay you well and everyone is apparently happy. During the office Hannukah party, your wife gets a bit tipsy and divulges to me that she’s upset with your porn use. As a feminist, I am find porn deeply wrong and degrading and immoral and so I fire you. Totally A-OK with that?
WTF is this straw man argument?
He was defending firing someone for personal choices that have nothing to do with workplace performance. I was asking if he would apply that standard accross the board. Simple.
TOO simple, apparently.
I love the smell of lolbertarian assmadness in the morning. It smells like… REAL freedom.
Shane is upset because no woman with half a brain will touch his pee-pee.
Alright, Shane. Let’s say I’m your boss. I ask to see your wallet, find a condom, and fire you on the spot. Why? Well, personal beliefs you see. You’re obviously using contraception, and if you try to run out the “disease prevention line,” well, obviously your moral standards aren’t in tune with mine. Let the nice security guard escort you to the door, now!
See how it works? You may think it has nothing to do with your job, but heck, I can fire you for any damn reason, and that’s as good as any. Hell when the shoe’s on the other foot, ain’t it?
Or up his butt.
What you do after work, in the privacy of your own home, is NONE of the boss’ concern. What if you want a needed operation, he’d say no, and you are going to get fired if you do, but if you don’t get the operation, you will die. Which way do you go from there? You’re dead and he has to find another replacement. That certainly doesn’t make any sense. Get real, the boss should not be allowed to interogate anyone about their health care needs.
Just remember that these “people” LOVE democracy (evidence notwithstanding) so long as it’s not in the workplace.
If employers start firing people because of what they do with their crotches on their personal time, or because they’ve decided they don’t want to have children, and that this is the reason they’re not supposedly “suited” for their job, it means these employers are thinking of themselves as their employees owners — people who they think they can push around and dictate to. But that isn’t the case Shane, and if and when things like this do begin to happen, you’re going to see more and more asshole employers (like yourself?) being sued for huge mountains of money by their former employees . Indeed, we’re sure to see some of these employers go out of business as a result of pulling this kind of rightwing conservative authoritarian horsesh*t.
Truth, “…it means these employers are thinking of themselves as their employees owners..”
Wait one. Isn’t that aka ‘slavery’?
Arizona, the first slave state of 21st century America. The cycle continues.
Well it certainly was their perogative in the 19th century. Is that where you are from?
So, you would find it acceptable for an employer to put up a “no blacks need apply” sign, since it is his job and he owns it. “No women, no jews” ok also?
Is this a joke or this sad little woman actually arguing that grown women should have no power of their uterus? Is she for real? Yes, unfortunately, she is.
Again – right wing women/minorities/gays scare me more than any rich (or even working class) white dude. Wealth, Patriarchy and culture indoctrination of white privilege and homophobia explains the conservative straight white guy. A woman or a minority spouting this nonsense? Its the political equivalent of Stockholm Syndrome.
There is a serious amount of ignorance, evil, delusion and/or self-hate to make a woman openly support men controlling her ovaries, gays actively supporting be stuffed back into closet and minorities essentially signing on to the POV of the Klu Klux Klan.
But hey, I just had to explain to my fiancee’s aunt why supporting birth control is not the same as China’s one child policy, so its so hard to believe.
I once read some excerpts (not the full account) of a memoir of a teenager that was brainwashed as a Nazi youth and later managed to escape and come to America after rejecting all of it. The striking thing to me about it was his description of day-to-day life in the organization. Basically you could just turn off your brain. Your whole day was arranged for you, and you were basically relieved of the responsibility for making decisions. Almost all thoughts and words followed prescribed responses, like everyone singing a memorized song in unison. He said that it was a very comfortable life on the surface, a complete abdignation of responsibility for anything.
Sometimes I wonder if that’s what it’s like to be a “follower” on the far right.
Either that or they’re playing along to appease their own need for money and fame. All while believing the rules will never apply to them if their side got their way. I call these women Serena Joys (anyone who’s familiar with “A Handmaid’s Tale” will know what I mean.)
I clicked on all the link on the post but could not read anywhere that the employer could fire the employee…clarification, please.
Help me out…isn’t a law like this superceded by Federal Sex Discrimination Laws? Wouldn’t they essentially open themselves up to massive lawsuits from anybody fired under this new law?
The stupid just confuses me.
Interesting question, BrookLyn. I suppose one could argue that this bill violates discrimination laws because it’s aimed directly at women and does not allow the same “moral objections” for male employees who use Viagra for other than medical reasons.
There are still Federal protections even in “fire at will” States, as I recall from my experience in dealing with “wrongful terminations”. But the real issue is that Republicans are twisting religious “freedom” into tyranny. That was never the intent of our oft-quoted and noted “Founders”. The purpose was to ESCAPE religious PERSECUTION!
Wow, this world is getting ridiculous
This bill constitutes such a massive violation of HIPAA, there’s no way it could become a law. How could an employer discover what prescriptions their employees receive, other than snooping around in protected patient information?
Actually, Sarah, this would not be a violation of HIPPA. Employers are not a covered entity under the privacy rules.
“The Privacy Rule does not prevent your supervisor, human resources worker or others from asking you for a doctor’s note or other information about your health if your employer needs the information to administer sick leave, workers’ compensation, wellness programs, or health insurance. ”
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/employers.html
Effectively, this bill would allow an employer to request a doctor’s note stating that your contraceptive prescription is for medical purposes and, if not, fire you because it violates their “moral objection” to contraceptives for non-medical purposes.
* HIPAA, not HIPPA
It is illegal for an employer to ask to see your health records. Period.
It is only illegal for an employer to get your health records from your doctor, without your knowledge or consent. And it would be the doctor that would be in violation of HIPAA, not the employer. HIPAA does not prevent an employer asking you directly for medical information, or for you to get a doctor’s note.
However, there are specific REASONS an employer must have for asking for medical information–an employer cannot demand information regarding private sexual/non-sexual activity. From everything I read on HIPPAA, this legislation would not be legal for several reasons.
Requests from your employer
“The Privacy Rule does not prevent your supervisor, human resources worker or others from asking you for a doctor’s note or other information about your health if your employer NEEDS (my emphasis), the information to administer sick leave, workers’ compensation, wellness programs, or health insurance.
However, if your employer asks your health care provider directly for information about you, your provider cannot disclose the information in response without your authorization.
Covered health care providers must have your authorization to disclose this information to your employer, unless other laws require them to disclose it.”
Also see:
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/inquiries_medical.cfm
“Once a person is hired and has started work, an employer generally can only ask medical questions or require a medical exam if the employer needs medical documentation to support an employee’s request for an accommodation or if the employer has reason to believe an employee would not be able to perform a job successfully or safely because of a medical condition.
The law also requires that the employers keep all medical records and information confidential and in separate medical files.”
“Questions about an applicant’s sex, (unless it is a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) and is essential to a particular position or occupation), marital status, pregnancy, medical history of pregnancy, future child bearing plans, number and/or ages of children or dependents, provisions for child care, abortions, birth control, ability to reproduce, and name or address of spouse or children are generally viewed as non job-related and problematic under Title VII.”
This also applies to current employees of any employer.
Afghanazona strikes again! Apparently the Taliban moved west.
The only people who would benefit from this mother-killing law are PEDOPHILE PRIESTS. The same pious pervs are brazenly bullying NY Gov. Cuomo to enslave us women as their personal throwaway incubators by simultaneously denying our right to life-saving contraception AND our molested kids’ right to sue their CRIMINAL ASSES. We need to broadcast it 24/7 that these two abused classes are crucially linked together: contraception liberates women from dangerous pregnancies and it also liberates unplanned neglected kids from pedophile priests. Denial of maternal life-saving contraception is also criminal Munchausen by Proxy medical malpractice.
My big question is who gets hired to be the Chief Investigator of Slutty Sex Fucking, and where does one apply for such a position? Not that I’m interested mind you, but the interview questions alone would be worth the price of admission.
**Note: Anyone else find it a tad ironic that the “Get big guvmint outta my life!” crowd is perfectly happy to also be the “Let Big Biddness into my uterus” crowd?
OK, they do realize this is Arizona, where guns are still very easy to find and if some employer did this I would expect his body to be found out among the cacti very soon. If the employee (cowgirl) just didn’t pull out a gun right at work and blow him away. As a person who lives here I am just wondering where the person who proposed this legislation lives. Phoenix was not that foreign a few years ago I am sad to see it become like NY city.
This is just karma coming back to the ignorant Arizona voters that PUT these christofascist Republicans in office. Hopefully this has been a learning experience and they now KNOW what Republicans stand for.
This is just one more of the many examples of why I won’t vote for any candidate that seems too religious. How can you expect them to act rationally from a worldview based on fantasy?
One of the many reasons I voted against Gore/Lieberman in 2000 was that when they gave a speech, EVERY OTHER WORD WAS “GOD”!
Either they’re trying to manipulate the religious voters, or they really believe their imaginary friend is sending them telepathic messages how to govern. Either case makes them unacceptable for office.
I hope this bill is voted down. I am sick and tired of religious nut jobs trying to run may life. If I had a business in Arizona I would fire any man who uses viagra unless they are married. Other wise he is out finding those sluts to have sex with
The tithing habits of the employer should also be made public so that taxpayers will be assured that this is really a moral obligation that is being exercised in affecting another moral woman-person’s right to free exercise of self control and birth control. Put your money where your mouth is.
The contributions (voluntary) to the well-being of children must also be verified to make sure that the employer does have a moral feeling about this issue. We certainly don’t want freedom of morality without verification.
How did this woman become the Whip when she is such a F*!king idiot. She needs to learn that some of us think that storybook she is trying to impose on everyone also has lots of things that talk about the uncleanliness of women and how they should be treated by men up to and including being stoned to death. Use the book use all of it or none of it.
Shane S.
The job may belong to the employer but a person’s life belongs to to that person and that should take precedence. But as long as we have this exploitative money-jobs economic system, people are forced to turn over to these employers, not only the time at work, but more and more, information about themselves in their off hours, or they can’t get the means to live. Don’t kid yourselves, the paycheck is a fig leaf for slavery. As long as a person has to work to someone else’s dictates and specifications –even if they are not directly work-related as in this case-or else their survival might be in jeopardy, they are SLAVES. The fact that they MIGHT be able to find another master does not make them any less of a slave. Ask yourselves “why must we pay to live on the planet we’re born on?” We must demonetize, so that everyone can get their needs met without money and coercive work to get money. Then the racist, sexist, homophobic, religious bigots can fill their jobs with whomever they want without hurting anybody’s ability to feed, clothe, shelter and take care of themselves. The rest of us can work at what we want, when and how we want, with congenial people and get those exploiters out of our lives! Then work will be a joy and not slavery. Haters will still hate, but they will be irrelevant.
You’ve got it right, Kellia. In a world where money rules absolutely, work is a form of slavery. Happy is the person who finally gets to do whatever his or her passion is, but we shouldn’t forget that 99 out of 100 end up doing things they don’t really want to; but must, to pay their rents.
First of all, as a Star Trek guy, I got to say I love the photo:-)
Second, wow, did you nail this one or what!!! Great post!
Thank you!
This is why we need single-payer healthcare like every other developed nation, so employers and employees don’t have to deal with this kind of state-by-state crap, and its costs. Nowhere else in the world is health care tied to employment (or lack thereof), nowhere else do you have to be working for a company that can afford to give cushy benefits just to see a good doctor for a reasonable copay.
We need to very loudly remind our representatives that they swore on a bible to uphold the Constitution. They did NOT swear on the Constitution to uphold the bible.
I don’t know whether I am more amazed or amused by these people who hear God talking to them. Last night I dreamed I was riding a train and heard a voice in my head say “Pull the emergency brake.” Even in my dream I knew to get off the train and look up a shrink.
Love your posts Dawn. Actually, your healthcare suggestion would eliminate the “government control” that these haters of big government continue to force upon us. Doesn’t it make everyone sad that so many Americans seem to have totally lost their sense of reality? When you think it can’t get any worse….it does.
this is so funny!
ABL, I know that Ed Kilgore has instituted, or was going to, some kind of feature of “completely crazy state legislator of the week” because they are such good material, but anyone who had the idea that your employer has the right to pry into your private behavior like that is on the other side of crazy. If John can post that lunatic in the Oklahoma state legislature you can post this. Ignore anyone who says otherwise.
Hmmm, I was under the impression that businesses purchase insurance ‘packages’ where the employee also contributes an amount each month. I was unaware employers paid a la carte. My god, how can they afford sick employees? But seriously, I thought we had this all settled decades ago. I would hope employers had better things to do than play moral police with their employees. If they did, they may look to Rush as a cautionary tale – others may not wish to do business with, or work for, these Neanderthals.
The sponsor of that bill was no lady, that was a demented individual from the Republican offal pit.
Rather than become involved in the question of employee/employer rights regarding employment, let me present another more disturbing aspect of this conversation – American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Not only does this tie in to their ideologies – the bill is sponsored by ALEC’s Arizona State Chair, Rep. Debbie Lesko! First tort reform legislation (limit jury/court awards to consumers)…then Prison Privatization…then SB1070…then Charter School legislation…then Right-To-Work (for less)…now legislation to totally negate women’s rights by giving their corporate employer more rights than their female human workers.
Arizona citizens need to wake up and vote all of your ALEC members out of office STAT and if you don’t know who they are, check here: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Politicians#Arizona_Legislators_with_ALEC_Ties.
Thanks, Bob! A lot of us in AZ are already all over that. ALEC, unfortunately has it’s nasty tentacles from governor on down. It’s not going to be easy fighting this but we won’t give up!
I guess Arizona is excluded from HIPPA laws?
“The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients an array of rights with respect to”
ABL – How much more furious and WTF can I get?
Is toxic waste being pumped into Arizona drinking water? The severe dementia levels in that state are epidemic! Someone call the CDC, the EPA, and AMA quick!
How’s that other Arizona bill coming along; you know the one that authorizes Arizona to annex Austria and invade Poland?
hahahahahaha
The GOP vision of freedom is insane:
Corporations should be free of any oversight or restriction by the (sort-of) democratically-elected government, and they should be able to subject their individual employees to extreme authoritarian rule. Corporations and the very wealthy may buy as much of said government as they can afford.
If you want a paycheck, you will obey your corporate overlords, even in your private and spiritual affairs. If you don’t have a paycheck, you’ll likely be homeless, which is illegal. Your choice is submit to the upper-class rule, or you’ll be imprisoned and used as slave labor for the privatized prison industry.
Freedom. Right.
I have a great idea! Since the men have been pretty quiet about this I think that we should ban birth control pills totally and have all men go back to using condoms at all times. I know they would love this!!! Why haven’t we thought of this before????? Gee!!!
Fire women or deny coverage? Isn’t it disingenuous to frame it as allowing employers to fire women, instead of saying what it actually says, deny coverage?