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PROBLEMS FOR THE PUBLIC. (ááOPENáá) <NBC5 NEWS AT 11 STARTS NOW> (áááBRIANááá) THE LARGEST HOSPITAL IN OUR REGION... UNDER FIRE TONIGHT... AFTER A FORMER NURSE SAYS THEY WERE FORCED TO HELP IN AN ABORTION PROCEDURE.. DESPITE MORAL OBJECTIONS. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT 11-- I'M BRIAN COLLERAN. (áááSTEPHááá) AND I'M STEPHANIE GORIN NBC5'S ROSS KETSCHKE IS LIVE IN BURLINGTON. WITH REACTION FROM THE HOSPITAL AND THE NURSES' LAWYER. ROSS... (áááTRANSááá) (áááBOXESááá) - (ááááá) (áááLIVEááá) MEDICAL WORKERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF ELECTIVE ABORTIONS? PROCEDURES WHERE THE MOTHER'S LIFE IS NOT IN IMMEDIATE DANGER. BUT A FORMER NURSE AT UVM MEDICAL CENTER SAYS DESPITE THEIR RELIGIOUS OBJECTION, THEY FELT FORCED TO PARTICIPATE. (áááPKGááá) < FRANCIS J. MANION, SENIOR COUNCIL, AMERICAN CENTER LAW AND JUSTICE "THEY DID NOT RESPECT THOSE WHO HAD THIS CONTIENTOUS OBJECTION TO ABORTION."> THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER - PUT ON NOTICE! AFTER A REPORT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLAIMS A NURSE'S CIVIL RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED... WHEN THEY WERE FORCED TO AID IN AN ABORTION. < FRANCIS J. MANION, SENIRO COUNCIL "THERE WAS OTHER STAFFING AVAILABLE WHO COULD HAVE STEPPED IN AND JUST DIDN'T AND WE THINK THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE TOXIC ATMOSPHERE THAT WAS THERE AROUND THIS ISSUE."> ATTORNEY FRANCIS MANION SAYS HIS CLIENT WAS ON THE SO- CALLED 'OPT-OUT' LIST BECAUSE OF THEIR CATHOLIC FAITH... BUT FEARED REPERCUSSIONS FROM THE HOSPITAL IF THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON THAT TYPE OF PROCEDURE? < FRANCIS J. MANION, SENIRO COUNCIL "OUR CLIENT TALKS ABOUT A SYSTEMIC DISTAIN FOR THE RIGHTS OF CONCIOUS AND THEY WANT TO SEE THAT FIXED."> FEDERAL LAW ALLOWS MEDICAL WORKERS TO WITHDRAW FROM PERFORMING ABORTIONS FOR RELIGOUS OR MORAL OBJECTIONS. IN A REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS... INVESTIGATORS FOUND THE NURSE WAS - AT LEAST - ON ONE OCCASON... "deliberately led to believe (they) was (were) scheduled to assist in a procedure that did not involve the abortion... when it in fact did.... (they) objected but was (were) coerced by UVMMC into participating... The experience left (them) deeply traumatized. > < DR. STEPHEN LEFFLER, INTERIM, PRESIDENT UVM MEDICAL CENTER "WE DID A VERY THUROUGH INVESTIGATIONWHEN WE FIRST LEARNED OF THIS COMPLAINT AND WE ARE VERY COMFROTABLE THAT THEIR ALLEGATIONS DO NOT SUPPORT THE FACTS OF THE CASE.> UVM MEDICAL CENTER'S INTERIM PRESIDENT DOCTOR STEPHEN LEFFLER SAYS THE HOSPITAL HAS INVITED REGULATORS TO SUGGEST UPDATES TO THEIR CONCIENTIOUS OBJECTION POLICY... BUT BELIEVES IT ALREADY MEETS A (ááá ááá) (áááLIVEááá) ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE HOSPITAL HAS 30 DAYS TO AMEND IT'S CONSCIENCES OBJECTION POLICIES

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Federal officials are accusing the University of Vermont Medical Center of violating a Catholic nurse's civil rights by forcing them to participate in an elective abortion procedure. The allegations were detailed in a notice released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, which claimed the center had committed "serious discrimination." According to the notice, UVMMC did not notify the nurse that the procedure was an abortion until they walked into the room. Officials say the doctor — knowing the nurse had religious-based objections to abortion — told the nurse, "Don't hate me."The Atlantic reports that the nurse approached a conservative legal firm with close ties to the Trump administration, at which point the nurse was directed to the HHS. The nurse would eventually hire Francis J. Manion to represent them. Manion says additional staff was available to assist in the abortion procedure and chose not to. "There was other staff who could've stepped in and just didn't," Manion told NBC5. "We think that's because of the toxic atmosphere that was there around this issue." The notice corroborates this claim, adding the nurse "reasonably feared" UVMMC would fire them or file a report to licensing authorities. After an initial complaint was filed on May 9, 2018, in connection with the incident, HHS confirms that a federal investigation spanning "months" took place. During this investigation, officials say they found evidence to suggest that several health care personnel at UVMMC have been intentionally and unknowingly scheduled to assist in elective abortions against their religious or moral objections. These allegations follow federal statutes placed into effect in 2010, which prevent facilities from requiring individuals to perform or assist in sterilization procedures or abortions against their religious beliefs. In January 2018 the HHS rolled out a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division aimed specifically at protecting individuals' rights within health and human services. Since that time, the division has pursued two different violations and one separate act of regulation. The notice filed against UVMMC is the first focusing directly on the violation of a health care worker's rights to objection of participating in an abortion. In a statement released Wednesday, UVMMC denied all allegations, affirming its practices as legal and promising to remain cooperative throughout the legal processes. "The University of Vermont Medical Center has robust, formal protections that safeguard both employees' religious, ethical and cultural beliefs," the statement read. "We nonetheless remain willing to work cooperatively with OCR to identify any ways we can further support our employees' conscience and religious rights."The medical center currently has 30 days to amend its policies on matters of conscience and religious rights, or it could face federal disciplinary action, including a withdrawal of federal funding.