Key Takeaways:
– An Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) report showed a trend among Fortune 100 companies supporting employee abortion more than family-oriented policies.
– Many corporations pay for abortions, including travel expenses, but do not fully support parental leave, adoption, and child care.
– Several companies, such as Amazon, Starbucks, CitiGroup, CNN, and Netflix openly subsidize abortion, while offering insufficient paid maternity leave.
– Some of these companies have faced allegations of pregnancy discrimination, stressing the need for a completely family-friendly workplace environment.
The Ins and Outs of Corporate Policies
Lately, a surprising trend has emerged among Fortune 100 companies. That’s what scholars Nathanael Blake and Alexandra DeSanctis from the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) found in their recent investigation. It appears that more companies prefer to pay for employee abortions as opposed to developing pro-family policies.
In their report, Blake and DeSanctis noted that organizations aren’t very open about their pro-family benefits, although these gains are widely publicized. Parental leave is a common provision, but oddly enough, the number of firms agreeing to foot the bill for abortions is nearly double those assisting with child care.
They further revealed that companies often pick up the complete bill for an abortion. This full coverage can even extend to paying travel costs, if needed. Yet, when it comes to adoption assistance or maternity leave, most only partially chip in, leading to an unequal balance.
The Cost of Childbirth Versus Abortion: The Corporate Perspective
A closer look at why these trends have evolved uncovers an unsavory fact. The cost to companies when an employee brings a new life into the world can be considerable. Expenses could arise from prenatal and maternal healthcare, parental leave, childcare fees, and the potential loss of the employee to full-time parenthood.
On the other hand, fully covering the cost of an abortion, even with added travel expenses, is a cheaper alternative for these corporations. This stark reality paints a picture that corporations impel women to opt for abortions, highlighting a serious discrepancy in their corporate priorities and ethics.
Positive Spin on Family Building Support: Is it Sufficient?
When it comes to other areas of family-building assistance such as adoption, companies appear generous. Yet, that generosity doesn’t fully meet the employee’s total cost. This selectivity in benefit coverage is again in contrast to complete abortion coverage, raising questions about the true focus of family-friendly policies.
Several high-profile businesses, including Amazon, Starbucks, CitiGroup, CNN, Comcast-NBC Universal, and Netflix, have openly announced their choice to contribute to employee abortions. A stark figure shared by The Wall Street Journal in 2022 noted that only 35% of companies offered paid maternity leave. Hulu, a Disney subsidiary, made waves when it reduced its maternity leave to a dismal eight weeks. Yet, it loudly advertised its decision to subsidize employee abortions.
The Importance of a Family-Friendly Corporate Environment and the Rise in Pregnancy Discrimination
The corporate world has seen a disturbing rise in pregnancy discrimination allegations. Accusations came from former employees of many recognized companies, including Walmart, Amazon, Google, Walgreens, UPS, and Nike. These allegations point to a lack of effective action to support pregnant employees.
Alexandra DeSanctis made an important point in response to these allegations. She suggested the reinclusion of women who’ve stepped off the career ladder to care for children. If corporations prioritized flexible working options for fathers, women could find more support in their venture to choose motherhood and a career simultaneously.
From choosing pro-family policies over abortion subsidies to encouraging part-time or remote opportunities for mothers, there are numerous ways to create a balanced, family-friendly workplace. As the conversation continues, it’s clear that there’s more work to do to ensure that discrimination does not drive corporate decisions, and true support for women in the workplace begins to take root.