Friend,
Like so many of you, I am heartbroken that five Supreme Court justices recently made the radical decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. As a woman and as a mom, I am sad to see my daughters have fewer rights than their grandmothers.
And as a business owner committed to providing equitable, world-class healthcare to my employees across the country, I know that overturning Roe places a new and challenging burden on employers. In a post-Roe world, with abortion rights now in the hands of 50 different state governments, the quality of employees' access to reproductive care (and reproductive rights) will vary based on where they live. This poses a direct threat to businesses like mine that have made a firm commitment to equity.
I believe business leaders have an opportunity -- and a responsibility -- to firmly stand on the side of personal freedom, medical science, and reproductive justice. On that note, I wanted to share a message I sent to my team at Jack Cooper about the Supreme Court's decision. It is my hope that this message can serve as a template for other business owners and executives who want to provide comfort and clarity to their teams that they will stand firmly on the side of equitable access to healthcare and reproductive freedom regardless of where their employees live.
I, along with the vast majority of Americans, believe that each of us should have the freedom to decide when and how we start or expand our families. Politicians have no place in those decisions.
I will do everything I possibly can to restore equitable access to care and to protect a person's right to make private medical decisions -- for my colleagues, for my daughters, and for all Americans.
Thank you so much,
-- Sarah
To our Jack Cooper teammates:
As a proud, WBENC-certified Women-Owned Business that is leading our industry in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Jack Cooper is preparing a comprehensive response to the post-Roe era for our Employees.
Like many of you, I am deeply saddened by the 5-4 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This decision will have a profound impact on countless Americans, including our Jack Cooper team members.
The protections of Roe guaranteed the right to make our most personal healthcare decisions in the privacy of our doctor’s office, and without government interference, for nearly 50 years. Now, as a company and as individuals, we must contemplate a future in which access to those rights is determined not by the US Constitution, but rather by the state in which we live.
I want to assure you that Jack Cooper is working to ensure that you and your family will continue to have equitable access to comprehensive healthcare, including reproductive care, regardless of your state of residency.
To that end, Jack Cooper is currently taking the following steps:
1.) Visibility. We acknowledge that many of our Jack Cooper team may be feeling anxious, angry, fearful, or heartbroken, over the Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. As a company, we see you and are committed to protecting your rights in every way that we can.
2.) Priority. Our Human Resources team, DEI Task Force Chair, and Government Relations Manager are all reviewing our current Teamcare coverage in reproductive health, including contraception and abortion care. I am personally overseeing this review as the Executive Chairperson of the Company, and we will prioritize crafting our company’s response.
3.) Community Support. Jack Cooper is committed to providing Employee Resource Group and/or other private forums for our team members to discuss this issue and how our company can best support you and your family’s needs in these uncertain times.
4.) Financial Support. Jack Cooper is considering all our options to provide financial support to access necessary healthcare for you and your family – including reproductive healthcare – if you reside in a state where this care is unavailable.
5.) Privacy. Jack Cooper is committed to maintaining & protecting your right to privacy and your medical data privacy; we are working to ensure our response puts neither your care nor your privacy at risk.
6.) Informed Policy. Jack Cooper is learning about any legal restrictions that would prevent us from supporting our employees in all their healthcare goals.
7.) Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI). It is important to articulate clearly that overturning Roe will disproportionately impact Women of Color and low-income women. Jack Cooper’s firm commitment to DEI means acknowledging that overturning Roe will harm women and people in marginalized communities. Jack Cooper is committed to uplifting the health and well-being of women, BlPOC women, and trans or gender-nonconforming team members, and their families.
Our company is committed to your health and well-being, regardless of your state of residence. One of Jack Cooper’s core values is “Health and Safety” – and we take that commitment to our employees and their families very seriously.
I know that emotions run high on this sensitive topic. As a business owner, as a woman, and as a mother to two young girls, I also know that determining how, when, and whether to have a family, are some of the most profoundly personal choices each of us can make. I ask that as we move forward, we do so with a deep respect for our colleagues. The strength of Jack Cooper is, and has always been, our people.
Jack Cooper will host a town hall to discuss how we plan to support our commitment to your and your family’s health in the post-Roe era as soon as we have more clarity about our options.
Sincerely,
Sarah Amico | Executive Chairman
Jack Cooper Investments, Inc.
|
Paid for by Our American Dreams PAC. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
|
