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JP Morgan, Disney join wave of companies that'll cover employee abortion travel costs
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Updated June 25, 3:08 p.m.
JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in America, has joined a host of companies that have said they will cover the cost for employees who need to travel out of state for abortions.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday officially reversed Roe v. Wade, declaring that the constitutional right to abortion upheld for nearly a half century, no longer exists.
Without federal protection, states are now responsible for codifying their own laws surrounding abortion. Some have already passed laws banning nearly all abortions.
JP Morgan told employees in a memo that if they live in states where abortion is outlawed, the company will cover the cost of travel to a state where it's legal, beginning in July.
The decision triggered a raft of statements and internal memos to employees at several companies beyond JPMorgan. They include:
- Disney
- Paramount
- Netflix
- Condé Nast
- Meta
- Warner Bros
- Comcast
- Sony
- Intuit
- BuzzFeed
- Duolingo
- Dick's Sporting Goods
- Patagonia
- Box
- Johnson & Johnson
Sports-mega store Dick's Sporting Goods also offered to pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses for its employees, spouses and dependents enrolled in their medical plan, according to a company statement on Instagram.
The company said it recognized that abortion was a contentious issue and that some teammates might not agree with the decision. "However, we also recognize that decisions involving health and families are deeply personal and made with thoughtful consideration," the statement reads. "We are making this decision so our teammates can access the same health care options, regardless of where they live, and choose what is best for them."
These companies join a previous wave of corporations that had made similar announcements after a Supreme Court opinion leaked in early May suggesting this outcome.
Those companies include:
- Amazon
- Zillow
- Levi Strauss
- Apple
- Lyft
- Uber
- DoorDash
- Yelp
- Citigroup
- Tesla
- Microsoft
- Starbucks
- Mastercard
- PayPal
- Airbnb
"Access to reproductive health care, including abortion, has been a critical factor to the workplace gains and contributions women have made over the past 50 years," a May 4 statement from Levi's said.
Airbnb took steps to secure abortion access for its employees in September after Texas Senate Bill 8 passed, outlawing abortions throughout the state. It reiterated that promise following the Supreme Court's decision on Friday, the company told NPR via email.
"Airbnb's U.S. healthcare coverage supports reproductive rights, and we have taken steps to ensure that our employees have the resources they need to make choices about their reproductive care, as we committed to last fall," Airbnb said.
Media company Condé Nast said it would pay for travel and lodging costs if employees need to travel out of their state for an abortion, according to an internal memo from CEO Roger Lynch to employees of the publisher of Vogue, New Yorker and Vanity Fair, among others.
"It is a crushing blow to reproductive rights that have been protected for nearly half a century," Lynch said in the memo obtained by NPR.
Condé Nast said the company has made enhancements to its U.S. health benefits to help employees and their dependents get access to reproductive care regardless of where they reside.
Lynch went further in his email to exhort his employees to use their journalism to respond in this moment.
"The most powerful way for us to respond to what's happening right now is through our brands and the distinctive editorial lenses with which they're covering today's news and the effect it will have on society," he said. "Our values are clear in the content and journalism we produce."
Patagonia, an outdoor clothing company with deep activism roots, went beyond offering to cover employees' abortion care and travel expenses. In a statement posted to LinkedIn, the company said it is offering "training and bail for those who peacefully protest for reproductive justice."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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