Hannah Finnie is a writer in Washington, D.C. interested in the intersections of work and culture. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
As Iman wrote earlier this week for OnLabor, the leaked Supreme Court draft decision in Dobbs earlier this week signals an all-but-certain overturning of Roe v. Wade and a constitutional abortion right, and is a workers’ rights’ issue. In response to the leaked draft, which is not yet final, some companies have announced that they will provide financial assistance for workers who seek out reproductive care but live in states where access to care is limited.
Levi Strauss & Co. announced Wednesday it would reimburse employees who traveled for health care services that were not available in their states. “Our position on this is in keeping with our efforts to support employees and family members at all stages of their lives,” the company said.
The move could simply be a pragmatic choice for companies with large swaths of workers in states with restricted abortion access. To attract workers amid a relatively tight labor market when workers have more leverage over where they work than usual, companies may have to start innovating the types of benefits they offer workers – and for some, that may mean convincing people who can get pregnant that living in a state without abortion access is still a viable option.
Some unions have also responded to the leaked draft decision, again emphasizing that reproductive rights are workers’ rights. The Nonprofit Professional Employees Union, for example, released a statement saying, in part: “Economic empowerment and family planning—the ability to control whether to have children, how many children to have, and when to have them—are invariably linked. This type of autonomy is fundamental to self-determination and financial security. The denial of abortion services disproportionately harms Black and brown people, poor people, people with disabilities, immigrants, and LGBTQ people. Restricting reproductive rights is an assault on working people.”
In other news, Amazon Labor Union president Christian Smalls is in Washington, D.C. this week. He testified yesterday at a Senate hearing called “Should Taxpayer Dollars Go To Companies That Violate Labor Laws?” which is available to watch here. He also paid a visit to the White House.
Hawaii’s state legislature also approved a hike to its minimum wage, up to $18 by 2028 from $10.10 now. The National Employment Law Project says this will benefit more than 192,000 workers, or 27 percent of the state’s workforce. That number includes 110,000 women and 168,000 workers of color. The bill now requires the Governor’s signature to go into effect. He’s expected to sign the bill.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching
June 26
A district judge issues a preliminary injunction blocking agencies from implementing Trump’s executive order eliminating collective bargaining for federal workers; workers organize for the reinstatement of two doctors who were put on administrative leave after union activity; and Lamont vetoes unemployment benefits for striking workers.