Should MI Pro-Life Organizations Be Forced to Hire Pro-Abortion Employees?

To most people, it’s common sense for a nonprofit organization to hire those who further—and not undermine—their mission. And most of those people would further agree that the government has no business telling nonprofits who best advance their mission.

Should PETA be forced to hire an employee who hunts on the weekends? Should Planned Parenthood be forced to hire pro-life doctors? Should the Islamic Society of North America be forced to hire individuals who disagree with the tenets of Islam?

Of course not.

So why is the Michigan government trying to force pro-life organizations like Right to Life of Michigan and Pregnancy Resource Center to hire people who would contradict their mission?

Who is the Michigan government targeting?

Right to Life of Michigan and Pregnancy Resource Center have spent decades serving communities across the state. Right to Life operates as a nonprofit focused on defending human life through education, coalition-building, and political engagement. Pregnancy Resource Center, a faith-based ministry, supports women and families by providing pregnancy information, medical services, and practical assistance, including clothing, baby food, and other necessities.

Right to Life produces and distributes educational resources in defense of unborn children, works alongside pro-life groups throughout the state, and advocates for laws that safeguard human life.

Right to Life maintains a large digital footprint, reaching hundreds of thousands of followers and using that platform to encourage women to consider life as a real option. The organization has also played a role in enacting more than fifty laws in Michigan aimed at supporting women and families and addressing the increased risks associated with abortion.

Pregnancy Resource Center has served women and families in Grand Rapids for over 40 years. It offers educational resources to the public. It also provides women with free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and other medical services and offers referrals for adoption and other services.

Pregnancy Resource Center walks alongside pregnant women and new moms by giving them formula, food, diapers, bedding, cribs, and other practical necessities.

It should be clear to everyone that these groups, like other pro-life pregnancy centers across the country, do good work to help women when they have nowhere else to turn. In fact, according to a report from the Charlotte Lozier Institute, as of 2024, pregnancy centers have provided services valued at over $452 million, which includes 630,000 free ultrasounds, 230,000 STD tests, 6.3 million packs of diapers, 39,000 car seats, and more.

How is Michigan targeting these groups?

The mission of Right to Life and Pregnancy Resource Center depends on employing staff who genuinely share their pro-life convictions.

However, Michigan recently enacted a law that could force pro-life groups to hire people who do not hold—or may even reject—their beliefs about human life.

Michigan’s law redefined “sex” discrimination to include “the termination of a pregnancy.” This amendment filters through every mention of “sex” in Michigan’s employment law. Now, it is illegal to “refuse to hire or recruit,” “discriminate,” or “deprive” applicants of an “employment opportunity” because of their support for, or decision to have, an abortion while employed by these organizations.

In other words, Michigan’s law requires pro-life organizations to recruit and hire those with pro-abortion views. In addition, the law restricts these groups from explaining their pro-life requirements to applicants. The law even requires these groups to include abortion coverage in their employees’ insurance plans.

Because the Right to Life and Pregnancy Resource Center won’t violate their own beliefs, they risk severe penalties, like five-figure fines, loss of state-issued licenses, hiring of employees who disagree with their pro-life views, and more. 

They shouldn’t have to.

Why are Michigan’s new employment laws so concerning?

These new mandates interfere with their ability to operate in line with their core principles and to serve women and families consistent with their beliefs.

Nonprofits and religious organizations should be free to hire only those who share their mission. This includes religious pro-life groups like Right to Life and Pregnancy Resource Center, whose life-affirming services are central to their very purpose. But Michigan wants to force these and other pro-life organizations to hire and retain employees who have abortions while employed by these organizations.

Requiring Right to Life and Pregnancy Resource Center to employ those who disagree with their mission statements, or to cover abortions in their insurance policies, would contradict their message about the value of life and the work these organizations have done for decades.

And this should concern everyone, regardless of where they stand on abortion. Today, Michigan’s pro-abortion lawmakers could target a group like Right to Life. Tomorrow, those sights could be set on other groups, including groups that pro-abortion lawmakers might favor. That fact should be cause for concern for any liberty-minded American.

Because Michigan’s employment law violates Right to Life’s and Pregnancy Resource Center’s constitutional rights, Alliance Defending Freedom is representing these organizations in a lawsuit against Michigan’s attorney general and other state enforcement officials, seeking to protect the organizations’ ability to carry out their work with like-minded staff without facing government penalties.

In July 2026, a federal court temporarily blocked Michigan from enforcing its law against Right to Life and Pregnancy Resource Center. This allows both groups to keep hiring staff who share their mission and maintain insurance plans consistent with their beliefs while the case moves ahead. Before deciding the constitutional questions, the court took the added step of asking the Michigan Supreme Court to clarify how the state law applies. The law itself remains on the books, and the fight is not over.

The bottom line

The government cannot force non-profit organizations to employ someone who contradicts their mission.

Right to Life of Michigan v. Nessel

• February 2026: Right to Life of Michigan and Pregnancy Resource Center file a lawsuit challenging the state’s employment law amendment.
• July 2026: The court denied the state’s motions to dismiss and granted a preliminary injunction, barring Michigan from enforcing the challenged provisions against the two organizations while the case proceeds. The court also announced it would ask the Michigan Supreme Court to clarify the scope of the law before deciding the constitutional issues.