GOP worried Big Tech, Disney creating hostile work environment for pregnant women with abortion emphasis

EXCLUSIVE: A Republican on the House Oversight Committee is raising concerns that some of the nation’s largest technology companies are creating a hostile work environment for pregnant women by highlighting their willingness to pay for abortions.

Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, sent letters on Wednesday to the parent companies of Google and Facebook, as well as Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, about their decisions to expand abortion coverage in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade.

“I’m concerned that major corporations are pressuring women to receive abortions rather than taking time away from work through maternity leave,” Cloud told Fox News Digital. “Women should feel supported in their decision to balance their family with work.”

“If these companies are exploiting women under the guise of abortion access, then we have a serious problem,” he added.

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Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, speaks during the Freedom Caucus press conference on immigration outside the Capitol on Wednesday, March 17, 2021.
(Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Cloud’s letters note that each company responded to the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe by emphasizing or expanding their policy on abortion.

Warner Bros. Discovery and Facebook’s parent company Meta, for instance, announced in the wake of the ruling they would expand their employee benefits to cover transportation costs for women receiving abortions, even if out-of-state.

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Google went a step further by telling staff in a letter after the ruling that it allowed employees to request relocation without needing to provide justification. Disney, on the other hand, purportedly sent a memo to staff re-upping its commitment to ensuring employees had access to abortion, according to CNBC.

None of the companies that were sent letters by Cloud returned requests for comment on this story.

Cloud said the emphasis on abortion access rather than highlighting their paid leave policies could give the impression of a work environment unfavorable to pregnant women.

Crowds outside the Supreme Court reacting to the Dobbs ruling.
(Joshua Comins/Fox News)

“Women have historically faced discrimination for being pregnant due to the number of days women will be absent from the workforce due to the birth and care of their children,” Cloud wrote. “They should not feel coerced into seeking an abortion instead of taking time off to have their child, especially since women are already having fewer children than they want.”

In his letters to the companies, Cloud notes that federal law already prohibits employment discrimination based on pregnancy status. Despite being illegal, the Texas Republican said that women in the work force are still pressured to choose between having children and their jobs.

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“During this time of historically high inflation, skyrocketing gas prices, and baby formula shortages, it is imperative that women feel they are supported in their decision to balance their family with their work,” wrote Cloud.

The letters come as Republicans have increasingly criticized corporate America and the nation’s leading technology companies for pushing policies they view as “woke.”

Former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are extremely popular among CPAC attendees.
(Jayme Gershen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, in particular, has lambasted Disney in recent months after the company opposed state legislation banning teachers from discussing “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” with students below fourth grade.