Google informs American workers that they may relocate to states with legalised abortion

 Google informs American workers that they may relocate to states with legalized abortion

Google has informed American employees that it will permit them to move to another state — without asking any questions — in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision on Friday overturning Roe v. Wade, which removes the constitutional right to abortion.

Fiona Cicconi, Google's top people officer, reaffirmed in a message released on Friday (via CNBC) that the internet giant's U.S. health insurance and benefits plan include "out-of-state medical procedures that are not accessible where an employee lives and works." Google employees may also "request for relocation without cause, and those monitoring this procedure will be aware of the situation," according to the statement.

Along with protecting user privacy, Google will "continue trying to make information on reproductive healthcare available across our platforms," Cicconi stated.

According to the New York Times, once Roe v. Wade was overturned, roughly half of the states in the United States are anticipated to restrict access to abortion. California, which upholds abortion rights, is home to a sizable portion of Google's American employees.

Regarding the Roe v. Wade decision, Google has not made any public remarks. "As a CEO, I know there are a variety of viewpoints on the SCOTUS judgement today," said Susan Wojcicki, the CEO of Google-owned YouTube, in a tweet on Friday. It's a heartbreaking setback for me as a woman. Personally, I think every woman should have a say in how and when to have children. Human rights include the right to an abortion.

She stated in the message that "this is a fundamental transformation for the country that truly affects so many of us, especially women." "As always, treat each other with respect and be considerate of how your coworkers may be feeling."

Following the Supreme Court's landmark decision, other media and technology companies, including Meta, Amazon, Netflix, Apple, Disney, Comcast, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Condé Nast, have announced they will cover their employees' travel costs if they have to leave their home state to access reproductive healthcare services.

There are 29 Google office sites in the United States, including four states — Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Wisconsin — where abortion is presently prohibited or is shortly to be prohibited by law.