The One Walmart Announcement That The US Is Waiting For
Walmart employees across the nation are eagerly anticipating one critical announcement that the retailer is gearing up to deliver.
The Supreme Court’s historically regressive decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade ushered in a slew of responses from corporations and individuals across the country. Many forward-thinking companies like Apple, Google, Target, and others quickly responded with statements that solidified their commitments to ensuring that their women employees continue to have access to safe abortive services should they want or need to seek that type of healthcare. This includes paying for women to undergo the procedure in another state if they currently live in one that restricts it. Interestingly, Arkansas-based retail behemoth Walmart has been exceedingly tight-lipped regarding the issue up to this point. However, CNBC reported that that is about to change.
In the coming days, Walmart is expected to release a statement regarding how they plan to address the changes that have come about due to Roe vs. Wade being regressively overturned. News that Walmart is planning to end its silence soon came as the result of a leaked internal memo to employees, as was reported by The Wall Street Journal. CEO Doug McMillon asserted in the memo that the company is working diligently to see how it can best continue to support its employees. “We are working thoughtfully and diligently to figure out the best path forward, guided by our desire to support our associates, all of our associates,” read the memo. McMillion also went on to write that it is understood that “time is of the essence.”
All eyes are on Walmart right now in anticipation of their reaction to Roe vs. Wade for various reasons. First, since Walmart is the United States’ largest private employer, what they decide has the potential to impact a significant number of American women. Second, what they decide will serve to indicate where the company stands on the issue. The company is headquartered in the largely conservative state of Arkansas. That state was one with trigger laws in place that went into effect as soon as Roe vs. Wade was officially overturned. Depending on how Walmart responds, it will either highlight its conservative values or reveal a deeper commitment to enabling women to have the right to choose what happens to their bodies.
Currently, Walmart’s abortion-related healthcare benefits are limited. Under Walmart’s health plan abortions are only covered in extreme circumstances. These include only when the life of the mother, fetus, or both are at risk. The procedure is not covered at all outside of those circumstances. However many states, especially those with trigger laws, are looking to criminalize the procedure. In many of these states, there are also no exceptions for cases when there was either rape or incest involved. Even if Walmart doesn’t do much to revise its current abortion-related benefits. The question remains if they will do anything to protect their women employees from being criminally prosecuted in states that seek it and/or if they will aid women in dire situations to undergo the procedure out of state should they want to.
Ultimately, it is mind-boggling to think that in 2022 the United States is facing this kind of regressive action against women’s rights. Not only was this decision made by a Supreme Court panel that was in no way reflective of the diversity of this nation, but it was a decision that completely blurred any separation of church and state.
