Rebecca was about to start her work day at Apple when she heard about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the contraceptives law. 13 states would be affected by the decision, including Texas, where she resided. The corporate employee in Austin was Gutted by the news, but still went ahead and worked.
Rebecca was waiting for Apple to acknowledge the impact of the court's decision on its workforce, particularly those in states that were poised to outlaw abortion. The lives of people who need emergency medical treatment while pregnant can be at risk if abortion restrictions are not loosened. She wanted the company to condemn the Supreme Court's decision. She didn't get a mass email reminding her that her health plan covered out-of-state travel.
Rebecca didn't hear anything from Apple management for weeks. When managers in Texas held listening sessions about abortion concerns, they were at times evasive, she and other attendees told WIRED. Rebecca asked that her real name be kept out of the public eye.
Apple is one of several large Silicon Valley companies that have moved to Texas over the past few years, putting down roots on very different political terrain than that in California. The company is worried about the spread of tighter restrictions and bans on abortion.
The Texas legislature passed a law that effectively banned abortions after six weeks by encouraging people to file lawsuits if they helped someone get the procedure. Most Apple employees worked from home. By the time abortion access was restricted in Texas, Apple was in the middle of a return-to- office campaign. Construction of a $1 billion campus in northwest Austin continued as planned. Employees were told that if they didn't want to live in Texas, they had to choose between their job and their reproductive rights. The health care decisions faced by those unable or unwilling to leave could be a lot.
The lowest-income workers in the US have the highest rates of pregnancies, and many don't have health insurance, just like people in other countries. Many companies in tech and other sectors have not commented on the decision. For some Apple employees who were attracted by the company's previous support for progressive social issues, its silence on the issue hurt.
Rebecca says that a lot of people join Apple because the company tries to improve. It was a slap in the face. Some Texas employees were unsure if they could leave the state or if the travel policy could protect them. Managers were hesitant to ask about abortion access because of the risk of being retaliated against. Senior managers in Texas agreed to host listening sessions for employees in order to hear their concerns. They ranged in size from one-on-one meetings to group sessions with dozens of employees, according to Rebecca and two other attendees who asked to remain anonymous. There were enough rumblings within the organization that they had to act. It would have been better if it had been done earlier.
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