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The Walt Disney Co. said Friday that it would cover employees ’travel expenses for abortions in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate Roe v.
The benefit covers the cost of the trip for the “family planning” of any worker who is unable to access care where he or she lives, Disney said, including “pregnancy-related decisions.” The company employs 195,000 worldwide, including about 80,000 in Florida.
“We recognize the impact of the ruling and remain committed to providing comprehensive access to affordable, quality care for all of our employees, cast members and their families, including family planning and reproductive care, regardless of place to live, ”Disney said. in a statement to The Post.
A torrent of similar announcements was released Friday by companies such as Netflix, Paramount, Sony and Comcast, highlighting the unusual role of U.S. companies in safeguarding reproductive rights following the high court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. But the moves could also open companies up to public reaction and legal responsibility as they navigate the rapidly changing landscape of reproductive rights in the United States.
Dick’s Sporting Goods will reimburse up to $ 4,000 in abortion travel expenses “at the nearest place where such care is legally available” for employees, their spouses and dependents in states where access is restricted, it announced Friday executive director Lauren Hobart on LinkedIn.
“We recognize that people are passionate about this issue, and that there are teammates and athletes who will disagree with that decision,” Hobart said. “However, we also recognize that decisions related to health and families are deeply personal and are made with reflective consideration. We are making that decision so that our teammates can access the same health care options.” no matter where they live, and choose what suits them ”.
The Lyft car transport service said Friday that its U.S. medical benefits plan includes coverage for “elective abortion and reimbursement of travel costs” if an employee has to travel more than 100 miles to a network provider .
“Transportation should never be a barrier to access and we will continue to advocate for the privacy and choice of our drivers, pilots and team members across the country,” said Kristin Sverchek, president of affairs. Lyft Business, in a blog post.
As of July, JPMorgan Chase is expanding travel benefits for any covered service that can only be obtained more than 50 miles from an employee’s home, the company told The Post. The policy will apply to U.S. employees enrolled in your medical plan, as well as covered partners and dependents.
“As always, we are focused on the health and well-being of our employees and we want to ensure equitable access to all benefits,” said Patricia Wexler, head of corporate communications at the investment bank.
Companies have been planning to reverse Roe for weeks, since the court’s draft opinion leaked in early May and Texas passed its own restrictive abortion law earlier this year.
Companies like Apple have said it would cover the medical expenses of Texas workers who would have to leave the state to seek abortions. Salesforce offered to relocate the workers.
Amazon said in May that it would cover $ 4,000 in travel costs for U.S. workers seeking medical care, including abortion and transgender surgery. But the policy only applies to employees enrolled in the company’s health care plan, excluding concert workers, warehouse employees and delivery drivers who maintain the e-commerce giant.
The heart of corporate dissent against the decision was concentrated between the media and technology companies. But with the exception of Dick’s Sporting Goods, retailers, which make up some of the country’s largest workforce, employing about 18 million Americans, according to IbisWorld, fell largely silent.
Walmart, Target and Kroger did not respond to The Post’s requests about any changes to employees’ health plans after the decision.
United for Respect, a nonprofit workers’ advocacy organization, called on Walmart to step up to protect its 1.6 million American employees. The group stressed that Walmart’s presence in the south, where several states have abortion trigger laws in place, offers the company “an opportunity and a duty to step up and secure the support of its partners.” .
“As the nation’s largest private entrepreneur, Walmart executives can set the standard for other companies by supporting their associates and providing adequate maternity leave, sick leave paid and covering the cost of associates’ expenses. they need to travel through state lines to access it. abortion services, “United for Respect said in a statement on Friday.
Many other corporate human resources leaders and company officials have also been busy defining what actions to take, said Jen Stark, director of BSR management consulting.
Some companies have already made internal announcements about expanding existing health benefits to include travel or access to abortion services, he said.
“I would expect to see more statements and announcements of internal policies being made public in the next 24 to 48 hours,” Stark said.
For these companies, abortion is treated as an organ transplant. This is specialized medical care that may not be available near or within a state, so insurance will help cover the cost of travel and paid sick leave.
“That’s the integration of that kind of care,” Stark said.
Emily Dickens, head of government affairs at the Society for Human Resource Management, said employers will need to continue to follow local, state and federal abortion laws and regulations.
“SHRM’s new research shows that nearly a quarter of organizations agree that offering a health savings account to cover travel for reproductive care to another state will improve their ability to compete for talent said Dickens. “But how these policies interact with state laws is unclear, and employers should be aware of the legal risks involved.”
A key responsibility issue is whether employers will be in legal danger if they cover the travel expenses of employees in states where abortion is prohibited. In May, national law firm Morgan Lewis issued an alert on considerations for employers if Roe v. Wade. There is a particular risk in states like Oklahoma and Texas, where legislation allows people to file civil lawsuits against abortion providers and people who knowingly “help or encourage the performance or incitement of an abortion, including payment or reimbursement of the costs of an abortion through insurance “. or otherwise. “
“For example, it can be argued that a company or company profit plan violates Texas law if it reimburses a Texas-based employee for an abortion received in a state that allows abortion or related travel costs said Morgan Lewis. “The text of the Texas and Oklahoma statutes does not provide a clear answer to this question, nor is it clear whether this provision would be maintained.”
Employers who reimburse medical, surgical, and travel costs associated with a legal abortion for an employee through the employer’s health plan or other health reimbursement agreements have some protection under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. 1974 employees (ERISA).
But according to Kathryn Bakich, leader of the Segal group’s health compliance practices, ERISA’s preemption principles “are likely to be thrown at wolves as the courts try to unravel the traps the Supreme Court set for employers by overturning Roe v. .Wade “.
“The benefits of abortion services to obstetric care and fertility treatment are likely to be affected by the new decision,” Bakich said. “Employers could have employees in states that recognize abortion rights, outlaw abortion, or even criminalize abortion assistance. A crucial question to ask is” How do employers maintain benefits? consistent for state employees with such diverse health care laws? “
Speaking Friday about the decision, President Biden said his administration would protect the right to travel for a legal abortion.
“If any state or local official, high or low, tries to interfere with a woman exercising her basic right to travel, I will do everything in my power to combat this deeply anti-American attack,” Biden said.
Roe vs. Wade and Access to Abortion in America
Roe v. Wade canceled: He The Supreme Court has invalidated Roe v. Wade, who for almost 50 years protects the right to abortion. Dobbs’ decision against Jackson Women’s Health was the most anticipated of the court’s term, with tension surrounding the fight for abortion erupting in May with the leaking of a draft opinion indicating that the majority of judges intended to end the long-standing precedent. Read the full decision here.
What happens next? Now that the Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 precedent, the legality of abortion will remain in the hands of individual states. This would likely mean that 52 percent of women of childbearing age will face new abortion limits. Thirteen states with “activating bans” will ban abortion within 30 days. Several other states where recent anti-abortion legislation has been blocked by the courts are expected to act next.
State legislation: As Republican-led states move to restrict abortion, The Post is tracking nationwide legislation on 15-week bans, Texas-style bans, activating laws and abortion pill bans , as well as Democratic-dominated states that move to protect abortion rights. consecrated in Roe against Wade.
Who was Jane Roe and how did she transform the right to abortion? “Jane Roe” was the pseudonym of Norma McCorvey, who as a 22-year-old single woman in Dallas in 1970 wanted to terminate her pregnancy. His case against a Dallas county …