The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reignited a national conversation about access to reproductive care. With Roe v. Wade no longer law, decisions about reproductive healthcare are now in the hands of state lawmakers. We saw in Alabama that a ruling that embryos can be considered children under state law shut down fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) in that state. It was overturned and care resumed, but the legal and political uncertainties surrounding IVF continue to take a toll on women and families nationwide.
It makes sense then, with more than half of all Americans receiving their healthcare coverage through their employer, that the threat to reproductive healthcare access and the fear and anxiety it invokes, has spilled into the workplace. The situation is complex and it changes daily. However, there are things that employers can and should do to support their employees today and in the future.
