Citigroup to Cover Travel Expenses for U.S. Staff Seeking Abortion

March 18, 2022

Citigroup Inc. is beginning to cowl journey prices for U.S.-based workers searching for an abortion as extra states cross new abortion restrictions, in accordance with Bloomberg News.

The coverage covers sure bills, equivalent to airfare and lodging, for workers who should journey out of state to obtain an abortion.

“In response to changes in reproductive healthcare laws in certain states in the U.S., beginning in 2022 we provide travel benefits to facilitate access to adequate resources,” Citi wrote in a submitting for its shareholders assembly set for April 26.

In Texas, Citigroup has greater than 8,500 workers, Bloomberg reported. Last yr, the state barred abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which may happen round six weeks of being pregnant. Under the legislation, non-public residents can sue anybody who “aids and abets” an abortion previous the cutoff date, together with medical doctors, clinic employees and individuals who transport a pregnant particular person to and from an abortion clinic.

Earlier this week, the Idaho House authorized a six-week abortion invoice modeled after the Texas legislation. The Idaho Senate authorized the laws earlier this month, and the invoice now heads to Gov. Brad Little to be signed. The legislation may take impact in April, in accordance with The Washington Post.

Citi joins plenty of firms which have supplied assets for workers in response to strict abortion legal guidelines, in accordance with Axios. Lyft and Uber have introduced that they are going to cowl authorized charges for drivers sued underneath the Texas legislation.

Match Group Inc., a Dallas-based firm that owns a few of the greatest relationship apps, mentioned it could create a fund to cowl prices for workers and dependents who want to hunt care exterior of Texas, Bloomberg reported. Bumble, based mostly in Austin, has created an analogous fund.

Citigroup’s submitting additionally included updates about different well being and wellness applications. Beginning in early 2020, the corporate expanded its paid parental go away coverage for workers to obtain 16 weeks of paid maternity go away or 4 weeks of paid parental go away.

Citi can also be broadening its gender affirmation medical protection and incorporating the protection into its primary medical plan around the globe.

To fight fatigue, the corporate has launched two completely different sabbatical applications that permit workers to recharge for 12 weeks or volunteer with a charitable establishment for as much as 4 weeks.

“More and more companies are being forced to take stands on issues because of the demands of some stakeholders that antagonize other stakeholders,” Witold Henisz, director the Political Risk Lab on the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, instructed Reuters.“Millennial workers and consumers demand that companies take stands and look to CEOs especially where the government has failed to act or taken a stand of which they disapprove,” he mentioned. “This will continue to grow as a strategic challenge for companies.”