A person walks into a Target store in Washington, D.C., on May 18, 2022.
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targeting It will cover employee travel if they live in a country where abortion is prohibited, according to a company memo obtained by CNBC.
The new policy will take effect in July, according to the email, which was sent to employees on Monday from Target’s head of human resources, Melissa Kramer.
“For years, our healthcare benefits have included some financial support for travel, when team members need specific healthcare measures that weren’t available where they live,” Kramer said in the memo. “A few months ago, we began reassessing our benefits with the goal of understanding what it would look like if we extended travel reimbursement to any care required and covered – but not available in the team members community. That effort became equally more important as we learned about the Supreme Court ruling on Abortion, given that it will affect access to health care in some states.”
with The opposite of the Roe v. case. valleyThe country is divided into countries where abortion is legal and countries where abortion is prohibited. The court’s decision led to A wave of advertising by companies that has committed to providing travel coverage to employees as part of their health insurance plans. This list includes industries and includes c. B. Morgan ChaseAnd the Dick sporting goods And the Rivian.
Some companies like AmazonIt had already announced travel coverage for employees who needed to get reproductive health care in other states before the Supreme Court decision. The tech giant said it will pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses annually for abortion and other non-life-threatening medical treatments.
Target did not immediately respond to a request about whether the travel policy would bring a dollar limit. It did not say how it plans to protect the privacy of employees seeking travel compensation.
In the memo, the retailer said its healthcare travel reimbursement policy would include travel for mental health, cardiac care and other services not available near employees’ homes, as well as reproductive care.
Cramer said Target has updated its policy “to ensure our team has equal access to high-quality, low-cost care through our healthcare benefits.”
In the memo, Target took no position on the Supreme Court’s decision. Kramer praised Target’s staff for how they “recognize and respect the wide range of beliefs and opinions held by other team members and guests—even if those beliefs differ from their own.”
Other companies remained silent in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision. Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States, declined to say whether or how it would allow employees to access abortions in states where they are illegal. It is headquartered in Arkansas That already has a law on the books to start ban.
However, Walmart does cover travel costs for some medical care — including some heart surgeries, cancer treatments and organ transplants — that employees get at hospitals in other states or cities away from home.
The Supreme Court’s decision infuriated some employees, who pushed their companies to move forward. Hundreds of Amazon employees have signed an internal petition, asking the company to condemn the Supreme Court’s decision, halt operations in states where abortion is prohibited, and allow workers to move to other states if they live in a place where the procedure is restricted, According to Business Insider.
CNBC’s John Rosivier contributed to this article.
This story is developing. . Please check back for updates
