XPO
XPO Logistics announced new, free benefits for new and expecting parents Wednesday in the wake of national attention to allegations from workers that the company practiced pregnancy discrimination.
The global company runs a Verizon warehouse in Memphis. The company has been under fire after employees reported pregnancy policies that some said led to miscarriages.
Employees have also said XPO allows them to work in unsafe working conditions, such as extreme heat.
Now, the company is implementing a free, comprehensive supplemental care for new parents and expectant mothers, “expanding XPO’s commitment to providing high-quality care for women and working families.”
Through a partnership with Maven Clinic, a mobile app and virtual network of healthcare professionals, workers enrolled in XPO’s medical plan will be able to gain additional support services that complement their regular medical care.
“XPO is setting the standard in its industry by offering this comprehensive supplemental health care coverage for employees,” a Wednesday release from the company reads.
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Through video chats, messaging, and phone calls, the app allows employees and their families to access a network of more than 1,400 practitioners with specialities including fertility, lactation, infant sleep, nutrition, and mental health.
“This virtual clinic gives our employees 24/7, on-demand access to an array of the services that women and their families seek most during and after pregnancy,” Josephine Berisha, XPO’s senior vice president of compensation and benefits, said. “These services complement our existing suite of US medical plans and are free to all employees. Expert digital healthcare is an important additional convenience for new parents, especially working mothers who are balancing the demands of home and work.”
The introduction of these new benefits comes after XPO announced in December it would take “proactive steps to enhance our policies” with more accommodations for expecting mothers.
New policies were launched earlier this year to provide increased support for pregnant employees, paid family leave, and 30 new types of wellness benefits for women and families. XPO said at the time its new pregnancy care policy is “among the most progressive in the industry,” and exceeds requirements set by federal, state, and local laws.
XPO also announced in December that Tina Tchen of Buckley Sandler’s, a Chicago-based firm that specializes in unique litigation, counseling, and crisis management skills, would be leading an independent investigation into the allegations made by workers.
Tchen, an expert in gender equity and workplace cultural compliance, will investigate the workplace conditions of the warehouse and make recommendations for improvement. An XPO official said Wednesday they could not provide an update on that investigation at this time.
XPO’s enhanced policy and investigation came shortly after 97 House members sent a letter to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce urging an investigation of the many allegations of “disturbing treatment” at XPO’s warehouses around the country.