US companies reach out to women employees after abortion rights ruling

After the US Supreme Court eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, many companies such as Walt Disney and Meta said they will cover employees' expenses if they have to travel to abortion services. Many states are expected to further restrict or ban abortions following the ruling.

U.S. companies including Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) 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 victory to Republicans and religious conservatives who want to limit or ban and, in some states, criminalise, 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.

Disney told employees on Friday that it remains committed to providing comprehensive access to quality healthcare, including for abortions, according to a Disney spokesperson.

The company's benefits will cover the cost of employees who need to travel to another location to access care, including to obtain an abortion, it said.

Facebook owner Meta will reimburse travel expenses for employees seeking out-of-state reproductive care, but the company was also "assessing how best to do so given the legal complexities involved," according to a spokesperson.