Corporate-Owned Businesses Scramble For Ways To Sidestep Tennessee Abortion Ban
Image Credit: Public Domain
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
After the announcement last Friday that the U.S. Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, corporate-owned businesses in Tennessee have been working on ways to sidestep the expected upcoming trigger law abortion ban in Tennessee and the Heartbeat Law, now in effect after the sixth circuit court of appeals lifted the injunction on the law first passed in 2020.
The trigger law, which will ban abortions in the state except in extreme cases where it is necessary to prevent death or serious and permanent bodily injury to the mother, is set to take effect in mid-August.
Several corporate-owned businesses in Tennessee are now offering to pay for abortion expenses for their employees.
Airbnb, Doordash, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Starbucks and T-Mobile have all announced they will cover “abortion and reproductive-related expenses,” which includes travel expenses for their employees to travel to end the lives of their unborn children.
The Tennessee Lookout reports that Airbnb, DoorDash and Starbucks will also offer financial support to employees living in states with abortion bans, including those in Tennessee.
Liz DeBold Fusco, spokesperson for Airbnb, said, “Airbnb’s U.S. healthcare coverage supports reproductive rights, and we have taken steps to ensure that our employees have the resources they need to make choices about their reproductive care.”
DoorDash spokesperson, Abby Homer, said, “It’s paramount that all DoorDash employees and their dependents covered on our health plans have equitable, timely access to safe healthcare. This is one of our guiding principles as an employer.”
In an email sent to employees prior to the overturn of Roe V. Wade, the CEO of T-Mobile, Mike Sievert wrote in part:
“…we currently offer benefits that address a wide range of family planning and reproductive health services. Our medical plans have also long included travel and lodging coverage for procedures that may be difficult to receive locally…”
“…we continue to offer numerous time away from the office benefits for a wide range of health issues, including reproductive treatments. This includes PTO, Paid Family Leave, and more.”
With the construction of Ford’s Blue Oval City in the Memphis area looming on the horizon, that is set to have thousands of workers employed and has cost Tennessee taxpayers $900 Million Dollars, Ford Motor Company has sounded off on their intentions as well.
A Ford spokesperson has stated that abortion services in various forms are included in health care plans for employees.
Spokesperson Catherine Hargett said, “We believe that medical decisions are best left to individuals and their medical providers, not their employers.”
According to the Tennessee Lookout’s report, salaried Ford employees can also use their health savings accounts to reimburse themselves for transportation related to abortions.
*** Click Here to Support Conservative Journalism in Tennessee. We can’t cover stories like this without your support!***
Vanderbilt University has yet to make an official announcement about their intentions, but they have established a ‘task force to address the Supreme Court’s reproductive rights decision.’
Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said, “We remain steadfast in our commitment to support women’s health and the safety and well-being of our community and to create a supportive and inclusive environment for educational success. As a leading research university, it is also our responsibility to confront head-on the most pressing challenges of our time and provide a forum for exploration, debate and scholarly research, all while providing wide-ranging resources and support to our campus community.”
Cybele Raver, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said, “We recognize the decision will have a broad impact on members of the university community—with practical and policy implications that will affect the provision of medical care, medical training and research, as well as the ways we conceptualize and protect women’s rights, freedom and opportunities. We have charged the task force with anticipating and mitigating potential negative consequences for our students, faculty and staff.”
The Tennessee Lookout reports that when attempting to contact Nissan, which operates a plant in Smyrna, about the company’s policy, their reporter was hung up on by a Nissan staffer.
Following, a spokesperson for the company told them they have not yet made a decision about their response to the new law.
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History. Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
I will not support any corporation that pays for abortions of their employees in an attempt to side-step the Dobbs ruling. Good-bye Starbucks, Dick’s, etc.
It is a sad fact American Corporations will pay to murder babies instead of paying for the delivery of a new life to pump up the bottom line in profits! These companies and people will come to regret these decisions in the long run as in give a answer to their maker! They will be no lawyer or politician to plead their case as they will be there too.
Companies using profit from pro-life customers is akin to tax payers having their taxes used to support planned parenthood. Perhaps American companies should find ways to support children’s health including the ones developing in the womb.