Indeed is offering a $10,000 relocation benefit to U.S. employees who seek gender-affirming care but live in locations that restrict access to such care, the company confirmed to HR Dive Wednesday.
The employment and job search site said the benefit is intended to support employees who live in areas where gender-affirming care is criminalized or otherwise restricted by state laws, government-issued directives, mandates or orders.
Indeed employees who obtain approval to relocate to a state or jurisdiction where they are able to access care will have access to a $10,000 flat rate fee to put toward relocation expenses.
Employees who have immediate family members who seek gender-affirming care but are similarly restricted also have access to the benefit, Indeed said.
A large number of states have enacted laws banning gender-affirming care for individuals 18 years of age or younger, and the Human Rights Campaign has estimated that about 35% of transgender youth in the U.S. live in states that have passed such bans.
Indeed is not the first company to publicly support transgender employees through new benefits. Last December, family planning benefits firm Stork Club launched a program to offer transgender-inclusive benefits coverage, such as menopause support, hormone health optimization and gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy for people in transition.
It is also not the first time that employers have offered benefits that allow workers to evade local restrictions on healthcare decisions. Last year saw a number of employers, such as Amazon, Yelp and Citigroup, offer payments to workers traveling to seek an abortion or other non-life-threatening medical treatments.
“We know employees thrive and do their best work when they can bring their authentic selves to work,” Misty Gaither, VP of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at Indeed, said in an email to HR Dive. “We also believe that everyone has the right to make the healthcare decisions that they feel are right for themselves and their families.”
Large employers are increasingly looking to support LGBTQ workers via their benefits programs. The Business Group on Health’s recent large employer survey found that 85% of organizations planned to implement at least one strategy to support LGBTQ employees within their health and well-being programs in 2024 and nearly half planned to have centers of excellence for transgender health in place within the next three years.
