roe v. wade
Bulletins

Tesla is covering travel costs for workers getting abortions

An impact report says the company has offered the coverage since 2021.

An illustration of the Tesla logo on a yellow background

A score of other tech companies have announced or highlighted similar policies in recent weeks, including Yelp, Citigroup, Apple and Match Group.

Image: Tesla

Tesla offers to cover the travel costs of employees seeking medical care outside of their home state, including abortions. In the company's 2021 Impact Report, it announced an "expanded Safety Net program" that includes reimbursing travel and lodging for employees who need to "seek healthcare services that are unavailable in their home state." Tesla has offered this benefit since last year.

A score of other tech companies have announced or highlighted similar policies in recent weeks, including Yelp, Citigroup, Apple and Match Group. Most recently, Amazon announced it would pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses for procedures including abortions. Hours after Amazon's announcement, POLITICO leaked a Supreme Court draft opinion suggesting that the court will likely overturn Roe v. Wade come June. A Roe reversal could trigger outright abortion bans in 26 states, with tech companies calling many of those states home. Texas is a major one, as several companies, including Tesla, moved their headquarters to the state throughout the pandemic.

Elon Musk has not weighed in on abortion significantly, but tweeted in September 2021 that "in general, I believe government should rarely impose its will upon the people, and, when doing so, should aspire to maximize their cumulative happiness. That said, I would prefer to stay out of politics."

Big tech companies are uniquely able to help relocate employees who wish to leave restrictive states, as many corporate tech jobs have flexible locations. They also have the money and resources to cover abortion-related travel, despite the legal risks they might face: Any such company could be sued due to the “aiding and abetting” clause in Texas’ abortion law. After Citigroup announced its policy of covering out-of-state medical care, a Texas lawmaker threatened legislation preventing the bank from underwriting municipal bonds in the state.

Lizzy Lawrence

Lizzy Lawrence ( @LizzyLaw_) is a reporter at Protocol, covering tools and productivity in the workplace. She's a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where she studied sociology and international studies. She served as editor in chief of The Michigan Daily, her school's independent newspaper. She's based in D.C., and can be reached at llawrence@protocol.com.

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