NEW STUDY BY IWPR SHOWS BRAIN DRAIN IN STATES WITH ABORTION BANS

A critical part of the workforce—young people who want to have families—are leaving states with abortion bans and seeking employers that provide extensive reproductive health care benefits.  

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) released a new study exposing how abortion restrictions are influencing where people live and work, and what they look for in employers. The findings highlight the critical role reproductive health care access plays in employee recruitment and retention, workplace satisfaction, and broader economic stability. 

"Workers are not willing to trade their health and autonomy for a paycheck," said Dr. Jamila K. Taylor, president and CEO of IWPR. "Access to reproductive health care is a fundamental component of workplace equity, and businesses can no longer afford to ignore the impact of abortion restrictions on their workforce. Our report makes it clear that companies who fail to address these needs risk losing their competitive edge. To build a resilient workforce and thriving economy, it's up to corporate leaders and lawmakers to take decisive action and make reproductive health care a top priority." 

Key findings from the survey of 10,000 adults conducted by Morning Consult include: 

• Abortion Bans are Causing A Talent Migration:  
• One in five individuals planning to have children within the next decade has moved—or knows someone who has moved—to another state due to abortion restrictions. 

• Workers Expect More of Their Employers: 
• Fifty-seven percent of likely future parents prioritize employers offering reproductive health care benefits, while 56 percent of employed adults believe companies should work with lawmakers to protect access to reproductive rights. 
• More than half of employed adults (51 percent) believe companies should speak out in support of reproductive rights. 
• Some businesses have started responding to these expectations, with some offering relocation assistance, expanded benefits, or remote work options.  

"The results show reproductive health care is a personal issue and workplace imperative," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which advised on the study. "For business leaders and policymakers, protecting reproductive rights isn't just the right thing to do—it's essential for talent and long-term economic stability." 

Corporate leaders face growing pressure to act in the face of these changing dynamics. The report recommends actions for employers to build a resilient workforce and ensure long-term business sustainability, including: 

• Comprehensive Health Care Coverage: Offering benefits such as covering abortion care services, fertility treatments, and travel support for out-of-state care.
  
  
• Workplace Flexibility: Implementing remote work options or relocation assistance for employees in states with abortion restrictions.
  
  
• Advocacy and Public Support: Taking a stand for reproductive rights through public advocacy and partnerships with organizations working to secure reproductive rights.

This study aligns with the insights from another study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research on January 6, 2025. Economists from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the College of Wooster found that nearly 129,000 residents have moved away from the 13 states that have implemented near-total abortion bans since the 2022 Dobbs decision.   

This study was done in partnership with the Center for Reproductive Rights. For more information on the report and IWPR's ongoing work to promote economic equity, please visit IWPR.org. 

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SOURCE Institute For Women's Policy Research