LANSING (AP) -- The Michigan Court of Appeals again has rejected a lawsuit seeking to stop the unionization of 40,000 at-home child-care providers.

The appeals court says the Department of Human Services can't ignore the results of a certified union election. But the court also said Thursday there are other options, including a new lawsuit with different defendants.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy sued on behalf of three women who say the union is illegal because child-care providers are independent business owners, not public employees.

The United Auto Workers and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees get slightly more than 1 percent of the millions in state subsidies paid to providers.

A separate lawsuit is pending in federal court.

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