Equinor will offer financial support to employees in the United States who will have to travel out of the state they live in to have an abortion.
The Norway-based company are taking a stand alongside BP and Shell who have also made the decision to assist with travel expenses for US employees who cannot readily access health services.
With offices in Houston, Connecticut, Boston, San Francisco and New York, Equinor has around 1,000 employees in the United States.
This comes as a result of the overturning of Roe v Wade which ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protects the liberty to choose to have an abortion.
The supreme courts decision marks the first time since the 1970’s that women in the United States do not ha a constitutional right to an abortion.
Equinor spokesperson Ola Morten Aanestad said: “We believe that women’s opportunity to decide on their own lives and health is a fundamental right and a prerequisite for equality.”
Outwith the energy sector, a number of large companies in the United States, such as Amazon, Apple and Disney have, after the Supreme Court’s decision became known, decided that they will cover travel expenses for employees who have to travel to other states to have an abortion.
BP explained in a statement “We believe that all of our US employees are entitled to consistent and safe access to the benefits already covered by our health care plans,
“That’s why BP has decided to assist with travel expenses for covered health care services that cannot be obtained near where an employee lives.”
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