Citigroup Inc. announced they will cover travel costs for employees seeking abortion after several states implemented or proposed a near-total ban on abortions. Guess having a female CEO like Jane Fraser makes a difference! Via Bloomberg News:
“In response to changes in reproductive health-care laws in certain states in the U.S., beginning in 2022 we provide travel benefits to facilitate access to adequate resources,” the bank wrote in a filing for its shareholders meeting set for April 26.
The policy will cover expenses, such as airfare and lodging, that employees in places including Texas may incur if they’re forced to travel to receive an abortion, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
In Texas, where Citigroup has more than 8,500 employees, Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation last year that banned abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur as early as six weeks. Under the law, individuals can sue doctors, clinic workers and others who help a woman end an unwanted pregnancy past the cutoff date. Texas and some other states have also sought to restrict medication-induced abortions.
In the face of ever-more restrictive abortion laws, they join several other companies doing this:
Match CEO Shar Dubey, whose Dallas-based company owns some of the biggest dating apps, said last year she was creating a fund to help cover the costs for employees and dependents who need to seek care outside the state. Competitor Bumble Inc., based in Austin, Texas, created a similar fund. Lyft Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. pledged to pay legal fees for drivers sued under the Texas law.
Maybe cutting off the money to the politicians who pass these laws is an even better idea?
In the meantime, California legislators just voted to make abortions cheaper.
