The ruling, handed down late last week in a Nebraska class action lawsuit, raises the stakes in Utah, where 1,800 railroad employees live and work and where Utah lawmakers have resisted forcing businesses to cover the cost of the pill.

Representing one railroad worker from Missouri and another from Idaho, Planned Parent sued on behalf of all of the company's unionized female employees. U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp ruled the company's policy discriminated against women by not covering contraceptives in its health care plans.

Union Pacific employs about 48,000 workers nationwide. Nonunionized railroad employees have prescription contraceptive coverage.

Former state Sen. Paula Julander tried for seven years to convince her mostly male colleagues to adopt legislation requiring companies that provide prescription drug policies to also offer the pill. Planned Parenthood says nearly 90 percent of U.S. companies provide health-care plans that offer contraceptives.

"This will affect Utah. Covering [the pill] is a lot cheaper than a lawsuit and it's a lot more respectful to women," Julander said. "In my heart, I feel this lays the groundwork for thinking that this is fair, this is the right, honest thing to do."

Union Pacific plans to appeal.