New Zealand-American company Allbirds says it will cover the cost for any US-based staff who need to travel interstate to get an abortion after a Supreme Court ruling led to immediate bans in some states.
On Friday (local time), the US Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, which recognised the constitutional right to an abortion and legalised it nationwide.
By removing abortion as a constitutional right, it leaves it up to each state to whether or how it may restrict it. About half of US states are expected to allow bans or limits on the procedure to take effect.
Allbirds, based in San Francisco, said it will cover any travel or childcare costs for employees who get an abortion.
"Abortion rights is not a topic that we express outwardly as a brand, but it is one that directly affects the rights and lives of our employees, and hence, we want to address this directly and quickly," co-founders Joey Zwillinger and Tim Brown said in an internal memo, which was then posted on Zwillinger's LinkedIn page.
"Tomorrow, over half our country will wake up with fewer rights than the day before, or even decades ago. This feels counter to the progress for equity and self-autonomy we expect and demand."
They said some of their employees are working in states that have already prohibited abortions, and their priority is to consider and care for these people.
"If you are an employee who would like to seek an abortion, we will support you in that effort. Should you have to incur travel to reach a state that legally allows an abortion and you would like to exercise your right to do so, we will cover your travel cost to ensure that you can make the decision that is right for you," the co-founders said.
"We will also cover costs for someone to travel with you, and to cover any child care you need during that time."
Zwillinger said he doesn't often share internal memos online, but the ruling was "emotional" for him.
"We employ hundreds of people across many states, each of which will now have their own laws," he said.
The US Supreme Court's ruling has promoted a global response and many politicians in New Zealand condemned the decision.
