Even as more companies have become outspoken on social causes, the reaction by corporate America on Friday after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade was relatively muted.
In response to the court’s ruling, which ended federal abortion rights, several companies released statements reaffirming their commitment to helping employees access health care services they may not be able to obtain in their state.
Companies in May had begun creating policies on covering travel expenses for employees who need abortions, after a leaked memo from Supreme Court justices previewed their decision on the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The group included Starbucks, Tesla, Yelp, Airbnb, Microsoft, Netflix, Patagonia, DoorDash, JPMorgan Chase, Levi Strauss & Co., PayPal and Reddit. Others, including Disney, Meta, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Condé Nast, joined them on Friday when the decision became final. Most have avoided making public statements directly referencing the ruling.
With abortion rights now overturned on the federal level, there is more pressure for companies to respond, especially for those with headquarters in one of the 13 states that have measures in place to ban abortion immediately or very quickly.
Here’s a sampling of what companies have said in response to the Supreme Court decision:
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Johnson & Johnson: “As the world’s most broadly based health care company, we strive to improve access and affordability, create healthier communities, and put health within reach for the people we serve.” It added, “We also believe health care decisions are best determined by individuals in consultation with their health care provider.”
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JPMorgan Chase: The country’s largest bank said it was focused on equal access to health care for all its employees. A spokeswoman highlighted a June 1 memo alerting employees that their travel costs would be covered if they needed to go more than 50 miles to receive certain medical procedures, including abortions.
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Levi Strauss & Co.: “Protection of reproductive rights is a critical business issue impacting our work force, our economy and progress toward gender and racial equity,” the company said. “Given what is at stake, business leaders need to make their voices heard.”
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Reddit: The company said its employees could get a stipend to cover travel for procedures such as abortions. “Our benefits programs are designed to support the health and safety of our employees, and we also have robust policies to support women in the workplace,” a representative said.
Emma Goldberg Lora Kelley and Emily Flitter contributed reporting.