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Salesforce Says It Will Help Employees Move Out of Texas Due to Abortion Law

BY September 11, 2021

Salesforce has announced that it will assist its employees and their families if they want to leave Texas after the state passed the nation’s most restrictive abortion law. The cloud computing company told its 56,000 employees via message on the company’s Slack channel that they “stand with all of our women at Salesforce and everywhere.”

Salesforce took no position on Senate Bill 8 in the statement. The company has 16 locations in the US, including one in Dallas. “If you have concerns about access to reproductive healthcare in your state, Salesforce will help relocate you and members of your immediate family,” the Slack message said.

Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

This is not the company’s first time criticizing a controversial state law. Salesforce was an early corporate voice against sweeping election bills in Georgia, which critics said was clear voter suppression. Atlanta is home to Salesforce Towers, the company’s regional headquarters, which has 1,300 employees. The Texas law, which prohibits abortion providers from conducting abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, essentially bans the procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Under current federal law, the procedure is legal but many states have restrictions such as waiting periods or a ban after a woman has been pregnant for 20 weeks.

 

The law took effect on September 1st after the Supreme Court and federal appeals court declined to rule on attempts to block. It effectively outlaws at least 85% of abortions sought in the state, according to opponents. It also punishes anyone, not just medical providers, who “aids or abets” a restricted abortion. That would include healthcare providers, family, and friends, or anyone who transports a person to or from an abortion clinic.

However, Salesforce also has a troubled past, having donated to several Republican causes including Trump himself.

While corporate America has taken public stances on last summer’s racial justice protests and the restrictive voting laws filed or enacted in different states, corporate America has largely stayed silent on the Texas abortion law. Exceptions include privately held dating apps Bumble Match, whose CEOs each announced last week they were creating relief funds for people affected by the Texas abortion law.

“Bumble is women-founded and women-led, and from day one we’ve stood up for the most vulnerable. We’ll keep fighting against regressive laws like #SB8,” the company said on Twitter.



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