U.S. firms financing abortion costs face legal problems

• U.S. firms will reimburse travel fees for employees who must leave their home states for abortions.
• Amazon, Apple, Lyft, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase & Co revealed plans.
• Conde Nast CEO called decision “a catastrophic blow to reproductive rights”.

A increasing number of large U.S. firms will reimburse travel fees for employees who must leave their home states for abortions, but these new policy might expose businesses to lawsuits and criminal culpability, legal experts say.

Amazon.com, Apple, Lyft, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase & Co revealed intentions to give these benefits through corporate health insurance plans ahead of Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which legalised abortion statewide.

Also Read

Biden wants to increase the privacy of abortion patients

Biden administration moves to assure women's privacy after Supreme Court overturned right...

Within an hour of the judgement, Conde Nast CEO Roger Lynch announced a travel reimbursement policy and called the decision “a catastrophic blow to reproductive rights.” Walt Disney Co unveiled a similar policy on Friday, assuring staff it acknowledges the impact of the abortion verdict but remains committed to delivering quality healthcare.

Cigna, Paypal, Alaska Airlines, and Dick’s Sporting Goods revealed reimbursement policies Friday.

13 states’ abortion restrictions went into force after Friday’s judgement, and another dozen Republican-led states are expected to ban abortion.

The court’s conservative majority maintained Mississippi’s 15-week abortion restriction. Democratic-led states are expanding abortion access.

Companies that fund employee abortions may face opposition from anti-abortion groups and Republican-led states.

Citigroup and Lyft, who revealed travel reimbursement programmes, face legal repercussions in Texas. In a letter to Lyft CEO Logan Green last month, Republicans vowed Texas “would take immediate and decisive action” if the policy is implemented.

The politicians also discussed abortion-related initiatives, including a bill that would prevent firms from doing business in Texas if they pay for Texans to get abortions elsewhere.

It’s only a matter of time until states or anti-abortion campaigners sue firms over abortion-related payments, says Robin Fretwell Wilson, a law professor at the University of Illinois and healthcare law expert.

Wilson: “If you can sue me for transporting your daughter across state lines, you can sue Amazon.”

Also Read

Meghan Markle discusses the US’s legalisation of abortion

Meghan Markle and Gloria Steinem spoke candidly about abortion in Vogue interview....