On June 24, 2022, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade, a landmark piece of legislation making it a federal right in the United States to access an abortion. Now that it has been overturned, many states have already made their decision on whether or not they will ban abortion. Currently, 12 states have fully banned abortion, while many others are looking to follow suit.
Many states are still in the process of banning abortion, but here are the 12 states where it is fully banned. Alabama Arkansas Idaho Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi
Missouri Oklahoma South Dakota Tennessee Texas Wisconsin
Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, experts were already advising companies to create new work environments to retain their employees, especially women. With the fallout from Row v. Wade, it is likely to be more challenging to attract women to your job openings, especially if you are located within those 12 states.
As the country grapples with the implications of the recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, many companies are considering how to best support their employees. For example, many companies are already covering travel costs for employees who need to receive abortion or gender-affirming health care in states where those procedures are still legal. Others, like Google, offer employees the opportunity to relocate to states where abortion remains legal. And others, like Patagonia and Live Nation, provided financial assistance to employees who were arrested when they participated in demonstrations against the ruling.
The companies that made a stance and supported their workers when the ruling was made received much praise around the nation, causing many to want to work for those companies.
Many companies have implemented on-site childcare (especially knowing how hard it is for parents to find childcare in this economy) and care benefits. Moreover, flexible work arrangements can help employees better manage their workloads during and after pregnancy. For example, Netflix allows up to a year of parental leave before returning to work. Other companies like Google, Airbnb, Microsoft, Amazon, Uber, Meta, and Salesforce have similar benefits for their workers.
Finally, supporting working parents also requires ending discrimination against them. Pregnancy discrimination complaints have increased steadily over the past three decades. An estimated 250,000 women are also denied accommodations related to their pregnancies each year. Pregnancy discrimination can take many forms, from an employer refusing to hire a pregnant woman to an employee being forced to take unpaid leave or being demoted after returning from maternity leave.
To prevent such discrimination, organizations can develop clear policies about expectations for employees during and after pregnancy. Ultimately, supporting working parents is not only the right thing to do but also good for business. By creating a more supportive environment for employees who are bearing and raising children, companies can boost employee morale, reduce turnover, and increase productivity.