U.S. companies including Walt Disney Co and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc said on Friday they will cover employees' expenses if they have to travel for abortion services after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned the landmark 1973 ruling that recognized a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, handing a momentous victory to Republicans and religious conservatives who want to limit or ban and, in some states criminalize, the procedure.
Many states are expected to further restrict or ban abortions following the ruling, making it difficult for female employees to terminate pregnancies unless they travel to states where the procedure is allowed.
For example, in Oklahoma a bill due to take effect in August bans abortion except in medical emergencies and penalizes providers who violate the law with up to $100,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. States offering abortion protections include New York and Maryland.