Upon request, the studios provided written responses to a letter signed by 411 host actresses (and co-signed by nearly 1,000 other male directors and actors) asking them to participate. and help ensure access to legal abortion in the judgment of the Supreme Court. Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“We share your concern for the health, safety, and well-being of our dedicated employees and those who support our products,” AMC Networks, Amazon Studios, Apple TV+ , NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, The Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros Discovery wrote in a joint letter released late Wednesday. Lionsgate, believed to be one of the recipients of the showrunners’ letter, was not named in the studio’s response.
“We have independently updated our respective employees – who live and work across the country – as plans and policies change and expand to provide reproductive care and services. Other support is currently needed in states that restrict or ban abortion,” the letter continued. “Most workers in scripted film and television productions are covered by industry health plans jointly administered by unions and trustees under a collective bargaining framework. Working with industry health plan staff and union commissioners on those plans, our trustees worked quickly to review existing health benefits and a A number of health plans in this industry have passed amendments providing reimbursement for travel expenses related to ensuring abortion services for participants and their dependents who reside or work in states where such services cannot be legally provided. “
On July 28, the movie actresses sent out a letter to studios and broadcasters asking for written plans to protect their employees’ ability to get legal abortions, especially those People living and working in the states have moved to ban such procedures after high courts overturned abortion as a constitutional right. “Within ten business days from today, we request a detailed review of your current safe abortion plan. [the company’s] they write.
Hours after June 24 Dobbs sues Jackson Judgment has been made, Hollywood companies including Disney, Netflix, Comcast, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery has noted to their staff that they have covered or will now cover travel expenses for abortions. “We are immediately expanding our healthcare benefit options to cover the cost of employees and their insured family members who need to travel to access a wide range of health care benefits. medical procedures, including abortion care, family planning and reproductive health,” WBD Cultural and Curator Director Adria Alpert Romm wrote in June.
The next step, according to the showrunners’ letter, is for the signatories to review the studio’s response along with their legal representatives.
Read the studio’s full answer below.
Thank you for your letter dated July 28, 2022. We share your concern for the health, safety and well-being of our dedicated employees and those who support our production. I. We believe they should have access to safe and effective healthcare, and their privacy should be protected.
Each of our tailor-made corporate health plans provides comprehensive wellness coverage to our respective employees. We have independently updated our respective employees – who live and work across the country – as plans and policies change and expand to deliver reproductive care and other support is currently needed in states that restrict or prohibit abortion.
Most workers in scripted film and TV productions are covered by industry health plans co-managed by unions and trustees under a collective bargaining framework. Working with industry health plan staff and union commissioners on those plans, our trustees worked quickly to review existing health benefits and a A number of health plans in this industry have passed amendments providing reimbursement for travel expenses related to ensuring abortion services for participants and their dependents who reside or work in states where such services cannot be legally provided. We understand that other industry health plans will be looking at similar changes this month. Participants in the various sector plans received direct notification from the plans about these amendments.
We are pleased that our industry partners have been quick to address this important issue and are committed to continuing to evaluate the ways in which we can best provide support staff and workers. our production.
We want to assure you that we are focused on supporting the health, safety, well-being and privacy of our respective employees and those supporting our production as we continue to monitor this evolving situation. We look forward to working with you to continue creating great content for our audiences around the world.
Signed,
AMC Networks, Amazon Studios, Apple TV+, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros.
