Organizational abortion support benefits in the post-Roe world: employee and employer perspectives

Abstract

PurposeThe authors discuss the implications of the recent United States Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson and its impact on employees and employers. Although several employers issued public statements regarding the provision of abortion-related benefits, the authors highlight some of the obstacles to their implementation.Design/methodology/approachWith a focus on employee wellbeing, the authors discuss the obstacles in implementing abortion care benefits.FindingsWhile it is encouraging to see many organizations make public statements in support of abortion rights, the authors temper their enthusiam with questions about practicality.Research limitations/implicationsBased on the research on hidden stigmas and the job demands-resources model, the authors argue that employees who need to use abortion-related benefits may be unlikely to seek them.Practical implicationsThe authors highlight some unanswered questions relating to the requesting and granting of abortion healthcare benefits.Social implicationsThe Dobbs decision takes away rights. While the authors applaud organizations’ efforts to restore them, facilitating access to an abortion in other states is quite complicated.Originality/valueAlthough abortions are very common, very little organizational research has addressed the topic. In light of the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, the paper raises some timely questions about employer-sponsored abortion healthcare.