On May 18, 2022, a person enters the Target store in Washington DC.
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Aim It will cover employee travel if they live in a state where abortion is prohibited, according to a company memo received by CNBC.
The new policy will take effect in July, according to an email sent to employees Monday from Target’s Head of Human Resources, Melissa Kremer.
“For years, our healthcare benefits have included some financial support for travel when team members need outstanding healthcare procedures that aren’t available where they live,” Kremer wrote in the note. Said. “A few months ago, we began to reassess our benefits to understand what it would look like if we expanded travel reimbursement to any care that is needed and met – but not available to team members’ community. relevant.”
With Roe v. Wade’s backThe country was divided into states where abortion was legal and states where it was illegal. The court decision affected him a wave of announcements by companies Companies that undertake to provide travel coverage to employees as part of their health insurance plans. This list cuts across industries and includes: JPMorgan Chase, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Rivian.
Some companies, for example Amazonhas already announced travel coverage for employees who need reproductive health care in other states before the Supreme Court decision. The tech giant said it would pay up to $4,000 a year in travel expenses for abortion and other non-life-threatening medical treatments.
Target didn’t immediately respond to a request about whether its travel policy would come with a dollar limit. He did not say how he plans to protect the privacy of employees who claim travel compensation.
The retailer said in the note that its healthcare travel reimbursement policy will include mental health, heart care and other services not available near employees’ homes, in addition to reproductive care.
Kremer said Target has updated its policy to “ensure that our team has equal access to high-quality, low-cost care through our healthcare benefits.”
In the memo, Target did not take a stance on the Supreme Court decision. Kremer commended Target’s employees for “how they recognize and respect a wide range of beliefs and views that other team members and guests hold close – even when those beliefs differ from their own.
Other companies remained silent after the Supreme Court decision. WalmartThe United States’ largest private employer declined to say whether or how it would allow employees to access abortion in states where it is illegal. It is headquartered in Arkansas, a state. there is already a law on the books to trigger a ban.
However, Walmart does pay for travel expenses for certain medical care employees receive at hospitals in other states or cities far from home, including some heart surgeries, cancer treatments, and organ transplants.
The supreme court’s decision angered some employees who pushed their companies to go further. Hundreds of Amazon employees signed an internal petition urging the company to condemn the Supreme Court’s decision, halt operations in states with abortion bans, and allow workers to relocate to other states if they live in a place where the procedure is restricted. According to Business Insider.
John Rosevear of CNBC contributed to this article.
This story is evolving. Please check back for updates.
