In view of the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse on Friday Roe vs. WadeGoogle’s Chief Public Officer Fiona Cicconi sent an employee-wide email Friday to employees informing them of Google’s response to the decision. Among other things, the email stated that Googlers “may apply for transfer without justification,” and that those in charge of the transfer process “will be aware of the situation” in assessing their requests.
The Supreme Court ruling doesn’t make abortion illegal throughout the United States—instead, it leaves the decision up to individual states. Several states, including Louisiana, Missouri and Kentucky, have immediately banned abortion rights. Other states, including California, where Google is headquartered, have pledged to protect abortion rights within their borders.
Here is the full letter:
Hi everyone,
This morning the US Supreme Court issued a ruling Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization one who turns Roe vs. Wade,
This is a profound change for the country that deeply affects many of us, especially women. Everyone will respond in their own way, whether it’s space and time for the process, speaking up, volunteering outside of work, not wanting to discuss it at all, or doing something else entirely. Please be mindful of what your co-workers may be feeling and as always, treat each other with respect.
Equity is exceptionally important to us as a company, and we share concerns about the impact this decision will have on people’s health, lives and careers. We will continue to work to make reproductive health information accessible in our products and will continue our work to protect user privacy.
To support Googlers and their dependents, our American benefits plan and health insurance cover out-of-state medical procedures that are not available when the employee lives and works. Googlers can also apply for transfer without justification, and those overseeing the process will be aware of the situation. If you need additional assistance, please connect 1:1 with a People Consultant [link to internal tool redacted],
We will be arranging support sessions for Googlers in the US in the coming days. These will be posted on Googler News.
Please don’t hesitate to count on your Google community in the days to come and continue to take good care of yourself and each other.
ledge Contacted Google to clarify whether the transfer policy is new, or if it has been changed due to a Supreme Court decision. If we hear back we will update this story.