Several Minnesota companies to reimburse workers who travel for abortion services
MINNEAPOLIS -- Some Minnesota companies now say they will offer reimbursement to employees who have to travel for abortion services.
Local companies include Target, Medtronic and Sleep Number. Paramount Global, which owns CBS and WCCO, is also offering reimbursements.
Paul Stark, spokesman for with Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, says these companies need to redirect their money.
"What we're seeing here is that companies are facilitating abortion," Stark said. "We think that companies should support women and children. They should make it easy for women to have children and raise families."
Stark says he knows of no planned effort by abortion opponents to boycott or take any action against these companies.
Law professor David Schultz says the companies could face consequences in states like Texas, which have criminalized not only abortion, but anyone facilitating an abortion.
"If they have jurisdiction over Target, given the fact that Target has some office there, they may. They may be able to go after them," Schultz said.
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, a former vice president of Minnesota Planned Parenthood, says making Roe a federal law is the only chance of restoring the right.
"Now these companies are trying to figure out how they can help their employees, so I applaud that," Smith said. "Right now, Republicans are blocking that action, and that's I think the fundamental choice that voters are going to be looking at coming this election."
A Target memo says the travel reimbursement is not just for abortions. The company will cover travel for any medical expense, including mental health treatment, if it's not offered near an employee's home.
