A group of Justice Department employees have asked the federal government to offer administrative leave to workers who need to travel out of their state to seek reproductive health care ahead of a Supreme Court ruling, Which could redefine access to abortion.
“As a preliminary step, we ask that the Administration rapidly consider requiring federal agencies to grant administrative leave to allow an employee, or employee’s family member, to receive reproductive health care services from another state.” May provide administrative leave to travel to your state due to restrictive laws,” said a letter sent Wednesday by the DOJ’s Gender Equality Network to Biden administration officials.
Wade abortion ruling as the court’s conservative majority prepares to overturn the historic Roe v. Wade abortion decision this month after a draft opinion of the Supreme Court was leaked, prompting several private employers to help travel outside states banning the procedure. Along with it has demanded to assure the workers. If the draft becomes an official court ruling, abortion could be outlawed in 26 states.
On Monday, Starbucks became the latest major company to announce a cost-covering policy for employees who need to travel more than 100 miles to have an abortion.
“No matter what the Supreme Court decides, we will always ensure that our partners have access to quality health care,” said Sarah Kelly, Acting Executive Vice President of Partner Resources, according to the Associated Press.
Concerned over the court’s impending ruling, Americans held protests in support of abortion rights across the country over the weekend.
DOJ employees said travel help falls under the administration’s executive authority and urged officials to use the same logic they used to offer federal workers and their families time off for COVID immunizations. was applied.
“Similarly, the administration must be able to provide an appropriate amount of administrative leave for federal employees to access reproductive health care for their health, safety, and physical and mental well-being,” the group wrote.
They also argued that this is an “important case of gender equality and equality”, citing the restrictive laws that impact “on employees of color who work in remote locations and those from other marginalized communities.”
According to The New York Times, aid may be running behind the Hyde Amendment. The amendment bars employees of government-funded health care plans from receiving insurance coverage for abortions.
The Gender Equality Network said the Hyde Amendment “does not ban assisted housing.”
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