U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor has denied a request to immediately block part of Obamacare that requires employers to provide the "morning after pill" and similar drugs.

Hobby Lobby and a sister company sued the government over the requirement. They say it violates their religious beliefs.

But Sotomayor said there was no legal ground to block the requirement right now on an emergency basis, adding that the company can continue its lawsuit in the lower courts.

Company officials now must decide if they will violate their faith by going along with the regulation or pay a daily fine of $1.3 million starting Jan. 1 if they ignore it.