Multiple companies to pay for abortion-related travel for employees

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that will lead to abortion bans in at least 13 states.
• Several companies on Friday said they would pay for travel costs for employees to get an abortion if they work in states where it’s banned.
• Disney, Meta, Goldman Sachs, Lyft, Microsoft, Tesla, and Amazon were among the top companies who made the decision.

Multiple companies across the country have announced that they will pay for employees’ travel expenses to gain access to reproductive health care after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.

Abortion can become illegal in at least 13 states after the Supreme Court’s decision. Top companies announced Friday that they will pay for abortion-related travel for employees if they work in states where it’s banned.

Here is the list of companies who made their pledges:

Disney told employees Friday that it will provide access to quality and affordable care for employees and their families. “Those who don’t have access to care in one state have affordable coverage for receiving similar levels of care in another location,” a spokesperson said.

Microsoft said it would “support employees and their enrolled dependents in accessing critical health care — which already includes services like abortion and gender-affirming care — regardless of where they live across the U.S.”

Uber and Lyft previously pledged to cover any legal fees in case their drivers are sued because of Oklahoma’s new abortion bill. The companies will expand their legal defense commitment to states that pass similar laws.

“No driver should have to ask a rider where they are going and why,” a Lyft spokesperson told Axios.

Lyft added it will cover elective abortion and reimbursement for travel costs if employees have to travel more than 100 miles for a provider.

Goldman Sachs and Starbucks told their respective employees they will cover costs of travel out of state for abortion services and gender-affirming care.

JP Morgan, Citigroup, and Mastercard told workers they will pay for employees to travel to other states that allow legal abortions.

Meta, Facebook’s parent company will reimburse travel expenses for employees who are seeking out-of-state reproductive care, per Reuters.

Reddit will provide its employees a stipend to cover expenses for travel over medical procedures, including abortions, per the New York Times.

Apple said it would cover medical expenses for employees in Texas who have to travel outside of the state for abortions while Salesforce said it is willing to relocate workers from Texas due to the state’s new abortion law.

Tesla said it would cover travel costs for employees seeking abortions outside of their state, per the AP. Its headquarters is located in Texas which has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.

Amazon said it would cover up to $4,000 in travel for U.S. workers who are seeking medical treatments, including abortions, per Reuters.

Alaska Air Group and United Airlines said they would reimburse travel for employees, too.

Levi Strauss & Co. said in a statement that travel expenses for employees receiving health care services outside their state, including abortions, will be covered. Yelp announced the same for its employees.

Discord, the instant messaging social platform used by gamers, will cover up to $5,000 per year for full-time employees and their dependents to seek medical care outside of their own state. Bungie, Patagonia, and Chobani also announced the same.

Source: Axios