A coalition representing thousands of faith-based employers in the United States has secured a significant concession from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after reaching an agreement that pauses active litigation and limits enforcement actions tied to abortion and gender-identity workplace requirements.
The Christian Employers Alliance (CEA) said a federal court has granted a stay in its lawsuit challenging the EEOC’s approach to implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and its related positions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The stay follows an agreement between CEA and the EEOC under the Trump Administration, under which the group will halt active court proceedings while the regulator considers revising its policies.
CEA, which describes itself as representing pro-life and pro-family employers, said the agreement includes a commitment by the EEOC that it will not pursue enforcement actions against the alliance or its members in a manner that would require them to act contrary to their religious beliefs. The group said its membership includes Hobby Lobby and more than 22,000 other faith-based employers operating across all 50 US states.
The agreement is framed by CEA as a major win for employers seeking clarity on compliance obligations relating to pregnancy accommodations and workplace rules on gender identity. It also reflects a wider debate among US employers about the intersection of civil rights enforcement, religious liberty protections, and evolving regulatory interpretations of discrimination law.
Under the arrangement, the EEOC will not take enforcement action against covered CEA members in ways that would force employers to violate their sincerely held beliefs. CEA said this includes actions that would require employers to accommodate abortion or to engage in what it describes as compelled speech on abortion-related matters.
The group also said the agreement prevents enforcement steps that would expose employers to charges over workplace policies or speech relating to abortion, gender identity, gender transition, or transgender status.
In addition, CEA stated that the EEOC will not require covered employers to make exceptions to sex-specific dress codes based on gender identity or transgender status. It also said the regulator will not compel employers to open private, sex-specific spaces to members of the opposite sex.
CEA’s lawsuit had been filed in response to the PWFA framework and federal positions relating to Title VII, which the alliance argues placed pressure on faith-based employers to adopt policies that conflict with what it describes as biblical convictions. The alliance has worked with Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy group that frequently supports religious liberty-related cases in US courts.
The case and resulting agreement come at a time when US employers are navigating heightened scrutiny over compliance with workplace rules on pregnancy accommodations, healthcare-related benefits, and protections for transgender employees. For multi-state employers, these challenges are often compounded by different state-level laws and enforcement approaches, particularly where cultural and political views diverge sharply.
CEA president Margaret Iuculano said the outcome marked a turning point for religious employers concerned about federal enforcement actions.
“This agreement is a major win for business owners and faith-based employers across the country,” said Margaret Iuculano, President of the Christian Employers Alliance. “We are grateful to President Trump and EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas for standing up for religious liberty and protecting the freedom of employers to operate their businesses consistent with their faith – without fear of being targeted by federal enforcement.”
While the agreement provides temporary relief for CEA members from specific enforcement actions, it also signals that the broader policy debate remains unsettled, with the EEOC expected to consider revisions. CEA’s decision to pause litigation suggests the alliance will monitor any regulatory changes before determining whether further court action is required.
Iuculano indicated that the organisation intends to broaden its focus beyond federal-level disputes, arguing that some of the most consequential pressures on faith-based employers now come from state governments.
“We are now moving our fight to the states, the battleground where employers are often most harmed as the result of sweeping actions of state legislatures,” Iuculano said. “That’s why CEA is expanding its Biblical Business Index, the first system grounded in Scripture to comprehensively track the voting records of all 7,400 state lawmakers – and hold accountable anyone who infringes religious liberty and undermines the freedom of faith-based employers.”
For businesses operating in the US, the development underscores the legal and regulatory complexity around workplace compliance, particularly for employers that seek to align corporate policies with religious values. The outcome may also influence how other employer groups approach disputes with federal regulators, especially where enforcement priorities are shifting and litigation risks remain high.
The federal court stay does not resolve the underlying legal questions raised by CEA’s challenge. However, the agreement effectively provides a period of regulatory non-enforcement for participating employers while the EEOC reviews its stance, offering short-term certainty for CEA members amid continuing national debate over workplace rights and religious protections.
