Just over a year ago, the Dobbs v Jackson Supreme Court decision overturned Roe v Wade and allowed states to immediately limit abortion access for millions of women across the country. In the void left behind, numerous companies publicly pledged to cover out-of-state travel for their employees to obtain an abortion or related reproductive healthcare services such as miscarriage care.
As polarizing political views split friendships and families, some question why politics must also enter the office. Is it a good idea for firms to weigh in on a sensitive issue like abortion–and do these statements impact the firm’s bottom line? As companies decide whether to speak up on controversial social and political issues, there are workforce benefits that may be hard to ignore. Based on my new research, I show companies that made announcements covering reproductive care after the Dobbs ruling reaped enormous benefits in terms of recruiting new employees.
