Impact of the overturning of Roe vs Wade on employees

The Dobbs decision will have the most significant impact on employees who are women and people who can become pregnant. Not only does research indicate that abortion restrictions may reduce a woman’s labor participation and earnings (and disproportionately impact marginalized communities), but the decision comes after women have already faced economic hardships as a result of the pandemic.

According to the Indeed Hiring Lab, “The Supreme Court’s decision is set to have compounding negative effects on the economic wellbeing of women, aggravating labor market inequities that worsened during the pandemic. In the long run, women’s participation in the US labor market will be significantly altered by this profoundly disruptive ruling.”

Inequality not only hurts economic growth, but it can impact your business in a variety of other ways. There are a long list of benefits of having a diverse workforce, including smarter decision-making, reduced turnover, and increased profits and productivity, among many others. When employers intentionally support women and people who can become pregnant post-Roe and post-pandemic, they can potentially improve diversity in their teams.

Hiring Lab data also shows that job seekers care deeply about this issue: the share of searches on Indeed containing abortion-related terms jumped 1,461% from the previous year. While it’s difficult to know exactly what job seekers were looking for, it’s clear that the decision is weighing heavily on many people.

How to support employees post-Roe v. Wade

There’s no question that the overturning of Roe vs Wade will have long-lasting consequences for women and people who can become pregnant in the workforce. As an employer, you can take action to make your workplace a more inclusive, diverse and supportive workplace.

While your business may not be able to offer all of these types of support due to factors like budget constraints, choosing the ones that align with their mission/vision can be a good first step to building an inclusive work culture.

1. Make a public statement on reproductive healthcare

Consider taking a stance if you haven’t already. According to a nationwide survey of US consumers, 7 in 10 believe it’s important for companies to take a stand on social issues — 86% of whom want them to take a stand on reproductive health specifically.

Jensen believes it’s crucial for employers to respond in some way. “Today’s workforce expects and demands values-driven commitment and action from their organization,” she says. “Of course, each organization is different and will take different positions on various issues — but silence is no longer an option.”

An Indeed survey of 1,011 Americans revealed that 88% said their company had made a statement in opposition to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and of that percentage, 82% said they were satisfied with the statement made. 86% also said that they believe that their company’s statement will have a positive impact on attracting new talent, and a further 85% believe that their company’s statement will positively impact employee retention.

Jensen says, “As a leader at Indeed, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade I believe we had to take a stand to honor and complement our mission and values. Our company mission is ‘We help people get jobs,’ and one of our core values is inclusivity. This means that, for us, supporting safe reproductive health care is essential to what we believe, what we do and what we want to achieve.”

See Indeed’s public statement below:

2. Facilitate inclusive conversations in the workplace

Build a safe space to talk about the reproductive rights of women and people who can become pregnant at work. Allow employees to be as open or private as they feel comfortable and foster an environment for respecting differences and opposing views. “Create opportunities for dialogue through open Q&A sessions on a regular basis,” says Jensen. She also recommends asking employees how they’re doing and what they need, whether through small group meetings or regular employee pulse surveys.

It’s also important to acknowledge that employees have a variety of opinions on this issue. Not everyone will feel the same. According to an NPR poll, 64% of respondents opposed Roe v. Wade being overturned, 33% supported it and 3% were unsure. “When it comes to these issues, many people have very deeply held beliefs,” says Jensen. “As employers, we must respect these; we have to listen and show empathy for all views (except, of course, those that are discriminatory or violate fundamental human rights).”

Make it clear that you will not tolerate disrespectful comments or behavior against employees regardless of their opinions. “At Indeed, following the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, we told all employees, including managers, to refer any questions or managerial issues to HR if they did not feel comfortable discussing them. We do not require managers to agree with our policy — but we do require all employees to respect one another’s views,” explains Jensen.

3. Consider expanding your employee benefits package

According to an Indeed survey, 43% of workers in the US said their company has announced the addition of abortion care assistance to their benefits package since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. This may include financial assistance for abortion care services, travel expenses and time off to receive care. Some companies may also extend reproductive care benefits to employees’ spouses and dependents, or employees not on the company’s healthcare plan.

In addition to abortion-related benefits, there are several other benefits you can consider adopting to support women and people who can become pregnant in the workplace, including:

• More robust paid leave
• Flexible schedules
• Remote work opportunities
• Childcare benefits and adoptive benefits
• Bereavement policies for miscarriages
• Company matches for employee donations to groups that support reproductive rights
• PTO to attend marches, protests, demonstrations and similar events in support of reproductive rights

4. Offer mental health resources or promote your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

There can be a major mental health impact for people losing reproductive freedom. “Employers need to show empathy,” explains Jensen. “This means acknowledging that people are confused and grieving and, what’s more, that many are terrified for their own health and safety. Above all, they need to take action by finding ways to support the physical and mental health care needs of their employees.”

Ways to support your employees’ mental health include encouraging them to take time off to process what’s happened or offering an effective Employee Assistance Program (EAP). An EAP often provides employees with assessments, counseling and referrals to additional resources that can help them cope with a crisis or other stressful situations. If you already have an EAP, talk about it often and encourage employees to use it.

Provide opportunities for employees to discuss how they’re feeling and share experiences with their co-workers. For example, Indeed started Compassion Circle, a scheduled bi-weekly opportunity for employees to discuss any crisis they’ve experienced during the week, interact with others who may have experienced similar trauma and learn some techniques to help them heal as a group. You could host your Compassion Circle over video conference or in-person on any cadence that works for your business (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly).

5. Promote your current ERGs or encourage the development of new ones

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are employee-led groups formed around marginalized communities that actively contribute to efforts specific to diversity, inclusion and belonging. Encourage employees to participate and engage with existing groups, listen and learn from members or create new ERGs so that everyone at your company feels less alone.

For example, Women at Indeed and Parents & Caregivers at Indeed share resources on where to donate, how to activate and ways to educate. They also encourage employees to connect and host training sessions on topics like political and local activism.

How you respond to the overturning of Roe v. Wade can have an impact on both talent attraction and retention. Consider taking some of these steps to make women and people who can become pregnant feel more comfortable, seen and supported at work.

“Remember: This is a marathon, not a sprint,” says Jensen. “These are incredibly difficult and uncertain times for all of us in different ways. But I firmly believe that, as leaders, we can use empathy and action to support our employees on the road ahead — and, I hope, chart the course for an inclusive, safe future.”