Levi's will reimburse employees’ abortion travel expenses

Levi Strauss & Co. announced this week that it would be refunding the travel expenses of its employees who travel to another state for health care services, including abortion. The benefit will cover both the full-time and part-time workers.

As per Reuters, Levi’s, which is known worldwide for its jeans, is the latest company in the United States to offer such kind of benefit to staff. The offer was made as many states have started stamping out access to abortions.

In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to vote in an attempt to revoke the bill that legalized abortion across the country. In a leaked draft majority opinion, it was revealed that the officials will try to reverse the Roe v. Wade decision that was decided in January 1973.

“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the initial majority draft titled “Opinion of the Court” and published by Politico. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”

In any case, Levi Strauss & Co. said that due to what is at stake, it believes that business leaders also need to make their voices heard and make a move to protect their staff’s health and well-being. The company said that this also means protecting their reproductive rights.

This is the reason why Levi’s is adding a new health care benefit for those who will travel to another state for abortion care. It was noted that other major firms have already implemented the same benefit to support their employees who need to travel, especially those who are in Texas and Oklahoma, where abortion services have already been restricted.

“Our position on this is in keeping with our efforts to support employees and family members at all stages of their lives,” Levi’s stated in a blog post regarding its new benefit offering to workers. “That includes advocacy for national paid family and medical leave, protections for pregnant workers, and gender and racial equity more broadly. Our position is also aligned with majority public opinion.”