Companies could face hurdles covering abortion travel costs

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

After the U.S. Supreme Court revoked the federal right to an abortion that’s been in place for half a century, companies like Amazon, Disney, Apple and JP Morgan pledged to cover travel costs for employees who live in states where the procedure is now illegal so they can terminate pregnancies.

But the companies gave scant or no details on how they will do this and it’s not clear if they will be able to — legally — while protecting employees’ privacy and keeping them safe from prosecution.

“Most employers were not prepared for Roe to be overturned, and even those that were didn’t realize the law would literally be changed the next minute,” said Brian Kropp, a vice president at the consulting firm Gartner. “They’re trying to play catch-up.”

Kropp said many companies announced plans to offer travel benefits without the infrastructure in place to make them work. Some, he added, are creating supplementary policies that employees can buy to cover abortion travel, while others are contacting insurers to see if travel can be added to their current plans. Others are trying to figure out how to offer a benefit without breaching employees’ privacy.

https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-de9e1e2c764bf61b95aeef756a66f8a5

[ProfessorGAC]

1. They'll Figure It Out

I think the article overstates the barriers.

[PortTack]

2. Agree..these idiots are going to run in circles with one foot nailed to the floor

[ecstatic]

3. I think it's just PR. It's not practical in any way

Is anyone really going to ask her employer to leave town to have an abortion? And even if some of us do, what happens when our employers give us the run around? What then? Call an attorney and go public (in a state where it's illegal, mind you)? No.

Then in another scenario, the employer might say yes, but then what if word is spread and a coworker turns us in to State authorities? Or what if the employer asks to see proof that it happened (due to concerns about faking a pregnancy for money/time off/travel)--now there's a paper trail of evidence which is definitely not good in Gilead.

At the end of the day, these types of decisions will have to be made and executed privately. I'm not even sure I'd trust my SO with that info.

[Arazi]

4. Yup. Abortion isn't healthcare anymore. It's a crime

Specifically “murder”.

I’m not sure how any company navigates assisting their employee commit “murder”.

Oh not that it’s actually murder but these companies that relocated to red states full of shitty people who actually believe it’s murder, and who will easily turn people in if crossing state lines “to commit murder” becomes illegal too.

Or they can collect a $10k bounty for turning in “murderers”.

Why would third party insurers take part in that?

What employee would trust they won’t get some religious zealot handling their application for funds?

What employee would be stupid enough to tell their employer they need time off, and money, to go commit a crime?