US companies, including The Walt Disney Company (DIS.N) and Facebook parent Meta Platform Inc (META.O), said on Friday that they would be free to travel for abortion services if they had to, after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. They will cover the expenses of the employees.
The US Supreme Court on Friday overturned a landmark 1973 ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, seeking to hand victory to Republicans and religious conservatives who, in some states, limit or restrict the procedure. want to do.
Many states are expected to further restrict or restrict abortion following the ruling, making it difficult for female workers to terminate pregnancies unless they travel to states where the procedure is permitted.
For example, in Oklahoma, a bill that took effect in August bans abortions except in medical emergencies and punishes providers who violate the law with fines of up to $100,000 and 10 years in prison. States that offer abortion protection include New York and Maryland.
access to health care
Disney told employees Friday that it is committed to providing broader access to quality healthcare, including abortion, according to a Disney spokesperson.
The company’s benefits will cover the cost of employees who need to travel to another location for care, including receiving an abortion, it said.
According to a spokesperson, Facebook owner Meta will reimburse travel expenses for employees seeking fertility care outside the state, but the company was “also assessing how to do so given the legal complexities.”
But the meta also went as far as to limit internal discussion of the ruling. According to a LinkedIn post by a Meta employee in Seattle, moderators at their Forum Workplace removed posts referring to abortion, citing a “respectful communication” policy excluding employee discussions on political topics.
The employee also removed a link to a Facebook post by outgoing Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, which condemned the ruling, the employee wrote.
When asked about the report limiting internal discussion, a META spokesperson declined to comment on internal policy.
Companies reach out to female employees
Policies supporting abortion varied between companies.
Dix Sporting Goods (DKS.N) chief executive Lauren Hobart said on LinkedIn that the company would pay up to $4,000 in travel for employees or their family members and a support person if an abortion was not available nearby.
Companies that offer reimbursement for abortion-related travel could be vulnerable to lawsuits from anti-abortion groups and Republican-led states, and even potential criminal penalties.
Lawyers and other experts said employers could face claims that their policies violate state laws banning, facilitating or aiding and abetting abortion.
Ride hailing company Lyft (LYFT.O) said it would legally shield drivers from abortion cases, adding that it would expand the recent policy as new state laws were passed. “No driver needs to ask the rider where they are going and why,” a spokesman said.
A draft of the Supreme Court’s decision on abortion was leaked in May. At the time, several other companies, including online review sites Yelp (YELP.N), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), and Tesla (TSLA.O), said they would cover travel costs for employees seeking fertility services. will help to Apple (AAPL.O) reiterated that it helps employees make their own decisions on reproductive health and that its healthcare includes travel for available services.
travel expenses reimbursement
Yelp co-founder and chief executive Jeremy Stoppelman said Friday that the ruling “endangers women’s health, deprives them of their human rights, and the progress we’ve made toward gender equality in the workplace since the Row.” has threatened to kill him.”
Alaska Air Group (ALK.N), the parent of Alaska Airlines, said Friday that it is “reimbursing travel for certain medical procedures and treatments if they are not available at your place of residence. The verdict doesn’t change that.”
Other companies providing benefits include Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), online dating sites OkCupid and Bumble Inc (BMBL.O), Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) and JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), the country’s largest Big banks are involved. , read more
OkCupid sent in-app messages to customers in 26 states most likely to ban abortions, preparing for a political battle. “Act now by calling your representatives and demanding freedom and choice,” said a copy of the message tweeted by OkCupid’s chief marketing officer Melissa Hoble.