This appears to be the company's response to stricter abortion regulations in the US
Employees of e-commerce giant Amazon will now receive up to $4,000 in travel expenses for non-life-threatening medical treatments, according to various reports. It will also extend $10,000 in annual travel reimbursements for life-threatening procedures, added the reports.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that Amazon's newest benefit will be available retroactively, starting January 1, for all office and warehouse employees, and their covered dependents, who are based in the United States.
It can be availed if the said medical treatment is not available within 100 miles of an employee's home and virtual care is not possible, according to Reuters, citing the company's message to employees.
It covers treatments including cardiology, cellular gene therapies, substance-abuse disorder services, according to Reuters. In a separate report, BBC said it also covers bariatric care, oncology, as well as congenital anomalies from within 24 months of birth.
In addition, the new benefit covers abortion procedures, said the reports.
Read more: Cricket Australia allegedly dismisses worker for abortion rights tweets
The e-commerce giant's latest benefit appears to be the company's response to Republican-backed state laws that are attempting to restrict abortion access.
It follows similar employee benefits announced by other corporations in an attempt to help their workers get around stricter abortion policies.
Citigroup back in March announced that it will start covering employees' travel expenses for employees who need to go out of state for abortion procedures.
The company previously said it will cover transportation, as well as lodging of employees who need to leave states for abortions, Reuters reported.
Last year, tech giant Apple also said that it will reimburse the travel costs for employees who need to travel out of state for abortion procedures.
Also last year, software company Salesforce announced that it is ready to relocate employees and their families out of Texas in the wake of the abortion law that took effect there.
