New research shows that employees want their organisations to take action on abortion access.
In fact, one third (33%) said they want their CEO to advocate for abortion rights, according to a recent survey commissioned by global non-profit Catalyst, which works to accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion. Additionally, nearly one in three employees (30%) are considering leaving their jobs due to their employer’s response to the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Almost half of those surveyed (44%) said their organisations and leaders are not doing enough to ensure abortion access. When organisations took action, employees noticed. Employees were nearly twice as likely (83% compared to 45%) to say that their organisation genuinely cares about addressing employee needs if their organisation took action in response to Roe v. Wade being overturned.
“The data is clear: abortion access is a critical workplace issue,” stated Lorraine Hariton, Catalyst’s president and CEO. “Employees are assessing their careers and making decisions based on how their leaders address this issue. Clear communication and meaningful action go a long way.”
ABORTION: A CRITICAL WORKPLACE ISSUE
Catalyst’s September 2022 survey of more than 1,000 adults working in the US examined how employers’ action or inaction around abortion access has impacted employees’ feelings about their workplaces and career pathways. According to the study, employees say their companies are not doing enough when it comes to abortion access.
Two-fifths (44%) of employees said their organisations and leaders are not doing enough to ensure abortion access. That number is higher among younger employees, with more than half (52%) of employees ages 18-34 (57% of women, 48% of men) saying their organisation is not doing enough to ensure abortion access for employees (by providing healthcare plans that cover abortion or covering travel expenses for abortion care, for example).
The findings also showed that employers are not communicating clearly with their workers about reproductive benefits and policies. More than half (59%) of employees want more clarity and transparency about their organisation’s policies on reproductive healthcare. That number is higher for younger employees, with more than two-thirds (69%) of employees ages 18-34 (70% women, 69% men) wanting more clarity on those benefits.
ABORTION ACCESS & CARE
Finally, employees want their organisations to provide abortion benefits. More than half (52%) of employees ages 18-34 (57% of women, 47% of men) say they would likely use employer-provided financial or travel benefits to access abortion care if they or their partner needed them.
One in three (34%) respondents said they would not be able to afford to travel for an abortion without financial assistance from their organisation. Additionally, 37% of respondents said they would not be able to get time off work to travel for an abortion without assistance from their organisation, such as written policies, benefits, or manager support.
According to the survey findings, younger employees are making career decisions based on how their employers address abortion access. Younger employees ages 18-34 are particularly concerned about their career pathways post-Roe. Nearly half (46%) of employees ages 18-34 (47% of women, 44% of men) are concerned that they won’t have the career they planned because Roe v. Wade has been overturned.
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