Salesforce, Uber, Lyft Make Moves Around Texas Abortion Law

Salesforce will relocate workers concerned about care access; Uber, Lyft will pay drivers' legal fees
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 11, 2021 10:15 AM CDT
This Firm Will Relocate Workers Fretting Over Texas Abortion Ban
Stock photo.   (Getty Images/XiXinXing)

The Texas abortion ban, and the recent Supreme Court ruling keeping it in place, is drawing plenty of reaction, from everyone from Justice Stephen Breyer to Attorney General Merrick Garland weighing in. Add Salesforce.com into the mix, with the company informing employees this week that it would pay for them to relocate if they're worried they or family members won't be able to access reproductive care due to the ban. "These are incredibly personal issues that directly impact many of us—especially women," Salesforce told staff in a Friday Slack message seen by CNBC. "We recognize and respect that we all have deeply held and different perspectives. As a company, we stand with all of our women at Salesforce and everywhere."

The message then revealed the company's offer: "With that being said, if you have concerns about access to reproductive health care in your state, Salesforce will help relocate you and members of your immediate family." Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff reinforced that message, later tweeting on Friday: "If you want to move we'll help you exit TX. Your choice." Salesforce isn't the only company stepping up to the plate to help those who may be affected by the ban: Uber and Lyft announced earlier this month they'll pay for any legal fees that may be incurred by their drivers if they get sued for transporting women to abortion clinics, per NBC News.

"We want to be clear: Drivers are never responsible for monitoring where their riders go or why," Lyft says in a statement. "Imagine being a driver and not knowing if you are breaking the law by giving someone a ride. ... Imagine being a pregnant woman trying to get to a health care appointment and not knowing if your driver will cancel on you for fear of breaking a law." Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi agreed with Lyft's move and announced his company would follow suit. "Drivers shouldn't be put at risk for getting people where they want to go," Khosrowshahi tweeted in response to Lyft CEO Logan Green's Sept. 3 announcement. "Team @Uber is in too and will cover legal fees in the same way." (More Salesforce.com stories.)

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