democracy watchdogs
Hi my friends,
I apologize for the silence. It’s been a tough, all-consuming few weeks since the Supreme Court announcement. While I’ve been working with leaders from around the world on how to move from shock, anger and fear to solutions and action; I am still struggling with my own heavy emotions.
This 4th of July as fireworks went off over Los Angeles, I was contemplating the evolution of capitalism and democracy in America. It didn’t feel like there was much to celebrate. Biden put it well this morning, ‘decisions are being made NOT for the mainstream, but for the extreme.’
In years past, the tug of war between democracy and capitalism kept the wheels turning. This has fundamentally shifted. Designing corporate policies to fill gaps for basic civil liberties, we now see businesses acting as democracy lifeguards.
Most recently, companies grappled with how they should respond to the leaked draft opinion. Many stepped up within 24 hours of the announcement to commit to health equity policies for their employees- despite their uncertainty on how to navigate the privacy and HIPAA restrictions.
So, we must ask - Are companies turning into the watchdogs of our democracy? Will they continue to blow the whistle and do ‘what’s right’ for their people, regardless of the consequences?
We are in new territory, and can’t be sure how it will pan out. Or, how far corporations CAN or WILL go when state lawmakers go after the new healthcare travel policies.
I am trying my best to be hopeful because most CEOs want to create an ecosystem where employees can work safely, efficiently, inclusively and profitably. And that can only be done by taking care of their people.
This time my advice is simple: Do Something Now.
I once overheard the great Gloria Steinem say, ‘Whatever you are doing, Do More.’ So, if you haven’t stepped up to protect your employees yet, and you’re in a position to do so- don’t wait, do it now. (And then Do More.)
In case you need an extra push, we compiled a list below of companies that already jumped in. And as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of any help.
Natalie
WHAT THE FRIDAY!
Roe vs Wade was overturned. Enough said.
dive deeper
Almost 50 years ago, the US liberalized abortion laws and the world followed suit. It now joins Iran, North Korea and Russia in rolling back reproductive rights. Foreign Policy reports that the United States is now a global outlier for abortion access, joining 11 countries that have restricted access to abortion since 1990.
The ruling introduces important questions about digital privacy, as pro-abortion rights advocates fret about law enforcement officials seizing vast troves of personal data to prosecute abortion-related crimes. This includes period tracking apps and geo locating information. See more.
Read this New Yorker piece for a comprehensive look at what’s at stake and why people are calling this the criminalization of pregnancy- ‘We are not going back to time before Roe v. Wade, we are going somewhere worse.”
join them in doing something
Amazon said it would cover up to $4,000 in travel for United States workers who are seeking medical treatments, including abortions.
Apple said it would cover medical expenses for employees in Texas who have to travel outside of the state for abortions.
Bungie is reimbursing all employees who need to travel out-of-state for essential care, including abortions.
Chobani added a new policy that covers transportation, lodging and childcare costs for employees and defendants who need to travel out of state.
Comcast is offering a travel benefit that covers employees’ medical services and procedures that aren’t available near an employee’s home.
Conde Nast said it would cover travel and lodging for employees to receive abortions, the New York Times reports.
Dick's Sporting Goods said it would provide $4,000 in travel reimbursement for employees who live in states where abortion access is restricted.
Discovery is expanding its healthcare benefits to cover employees who must go to other states to access abortion and reproductive care.
Discord is offering 5k/year for full-time employees to seek medical care outside of their local area.
Estee Lauder said they are expanding benefits to include the coverage of travel and lodging necessary to access reproductive healthcare options where not easily accessible.
Goldman Sachs told employees the firm will cover costs of reimbursements for women to travel out of state for abortion services and gender-affirming care.
Google is allowing employees to apply to relocate ‘without justification,” allowing those where abortion is outlawed to move to states where it is legal.
Indeed added a travel reimbursement policy that covers medical procedures outside the state where they live.
Netflix is offering up to 10k in travel reimbursement.
J.Crew said it was committed to giving equal employees access to health care.
JP Morgan told workers it will pay for employees to travel to other states that allow legal abortions.
Levi Strauss & Co. said that employees will be reimbursed for travel expenses for receiving health care services outside their state, including abortions.
LVMH luxury group said they will provide equitable access to high-quality and affordable health care resources, regardless of where in the US.
Mastercard said it will cover travel expenses for employees who must travel out of state to receive abortions.
Meta said it will reimburse travel expenses for employees who are seeking out-of-state reproductive care.
Microsoft said it would help cover workers' travel expenses for abortions and gender-affirming care.
Paramount is covering travel costs for employees seeking abortions.
Patagonia is covering all US employees for abortion care, and said "caring for employees extends beyond basic health insurance, we support overall wellness to which every human has a right, that means offering employees the dignity of access to reproductive health care."
PayPal stated, ‘caring for our employees is our highest priority’ and ensured that U.S.-based employees will continue to have access to the resources needed to make reproductive health decisions—regardless of where they live.
Ralph Lauren will cover travel costs for employees seeking reproductive healthcare services and other medical care out of state.
Reddit said employees could receive a stipend to cover expenses for travel over medical procedures, including abortions.
Salesforce said it is willing to relocate workers from Texas due to the state's new abortion law.
Starbucks said that it will cover the travel expenses of employees seeking abortion or gender-affirming care.
Tesla said it would cover travel costs for employees seeking abortions outside of their state.
Uber and Lyft both pledged to cover any legal fees in case their drivers are sued because of Oklahoma's new abortion bill, which allows citizens to sue anyone they suspect has helped someone receive an abortion. Lyft announced they will expand its legal defense commitment to states that pass similar laws.
Ulta Beauty said it will pay for employees to travel to states where the procedure is legal.
Unilever US will cover travel costs for employees and dependents if care is no longer available in their home states.
Warner Bros. will cover transportation expenses for employees and their family members who need to travel to access abortion and reproductive care.
Wells Fargo will reimburse for travel and lodging costs for traveling more than 50 miles for healthcare services, including abortion.
Yelp is offering assistance through their insurance plan for employees and their dependents if they need to travel out of state for an abortion.
Zillow said it would reimburse employees up to $7,500 when travel is required for medical procedures, including abortions.