May 3, 2022 — Amazon has become the latest big U.S. company to announce it will reimburse employees and their dependents forced to travel for non-life threatening medical treatments, including abortion, Reuters reported.
Amazon benefit will pay up to $4,000 if a procedure is not available within 100 miles of an employee’s residence and virtual care is impossible, a company message to employees said, Reuters reported.
Amazon employees received the message on Monday. It was not clear if the company was responding to a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that indicated the court would strike down Roe v. Wade, which made abortions widely available.
Amazon is the second-largest private employer in the United States. Yelp, Citi, and Apple recently announced similar benefits for employees as state legislatures increase restrictions on abortions, CNBC reported.
The benefit for Amazon employees applies to a number of other procedures, including cardiology, cellular gene therapies, and substance-abuse disorder services, Reuters said.
Monday was also the day Reuters changed its policy for U.S. employees diagnosed with COVID-19. They will be granted five days of excused unpaid leave instead of being offered paid time off, Reuters said.