In a major decision handed down on June 30, 2020, in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified the scope of religious liberty by requiring the state of Montana [...]
There are a number of legal defenses that churches can raise if a civil lawsuit is filed against them. These defenses include (1) negative defenses, where a claim can be defeated by disproving [...]
Child abuse in all its forms — physical, sexual, or mental abuse or neglect — is a crime in California, with additional criminal penalties if a victim is a minor (18 and younger) at [...]
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the consolidated case of Our Lady of Guadalupe School Morrissey-Berru St. James School v. Biel clarified and broadened the “ministerial exception” that [...]
On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act barring sex discrimination in the workplace also protects LGBTQ employees [...]
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, churches in California have once again been prohibited from holding indoor services. Some churches have openly defied this latest order by continuing to [...]
Since churches are exempt from unemployment taxes, church employees have historically not been eligible for unemployment benefits. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the [...]
Under federal law, it is the duty of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to issue guidance regarding constitutionally protected religious activity in public schools. In 2003, the ED [...]
On May 15, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application with detailed instructions for borrowers on how to apply for [...]
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law on March 18, 2020, to provide paid leave for employees unable to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The FFCRA amends [...]