Walmart expands employee abortion support

The US retail giant Walmart is expanding insurance coverage for employees with abortions. The largest employer in the United States has so far remained largely silent on the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the fundamental right to abortion in the United States. In a note to employees on Friday, the company said its health care plan now covers employee abortion costs "when there is a health risk to the mother, rape or incest, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or lack of viability of the fetus."

Previously, cost coverage had not been confirmed by Walmart, according to a copy of the guidelines seen by the AP news agency. This is only foreseen in cases "when the life of the mother would be in danger should the fetus be carried to term, the fetus might not survive the birth process, or death after birth would be inevitable."

Company management Donna Morris said in the note to employees that the new policy also provides for "travel assistance" for employees who wish to have company-covered abortions. In this way, offers that are not available within 100 miles (approx. 161 km) of the place of residence can be taken advantage of.