INDIANAPOLIS — State lawmakers start their special session on July 25 where they are expected to pass tighter abortion restrictions. Several other states plan to pass similar abortion bans.
Also, some national companies have already announced they’ll offer travel or relocation costs for employees in need of abortion care.
But for small businesses, that's not always an option.
“It’s scary to talk about, but it’s definitely things small business owners need to be considering,” said Sarah St. Aubin.
St. Aubin co-owns Futuro, a small pizza shop in downtown Indianapolis, with her husband. She said when the news of Roe v. Wade being overturned came out, her team was devastated.
“The whole entire staff was crushed because it means a lot to their wives or their partners or our female staff. Everybody knows a female and it impacts them greatly,” St. Aubin said.
It was also personal for St. Aubin. At 21, she lost her baby at 19 weeks, but decided not to terminate her pregnancy.
“My situation is very unique, of course, because my child would have not made it past birth, but it was my choice to do that. I can’t imagine making a woman feel those things that I felt every day,” St. Aubin said.
It’s why she made a post on Facebook last week addressing the issue as a business owner, mother and Hoosier.
She said it adds new challenges for small businesses, especially those who don’t have as many resources.
“We would have to continue to become more than just food servers. We would have to become mental health experts and there is already a crisis happening in our nation for that. I am not equipped to do that,” she said.
She’s not alone. Other local businesses have weighed in on the issue, including Milktooth, Silver in the City and King Dough.
With the decision now up to state lawmakers, St. Aubin is preparing for the “what if,” knowing her employees will always come first.
“I will do anything I can to support my staff in any decision that they make, anything that they need if this becomes illegal in our state,” she said.
She also invites Gov. Eric Holcomb to sit at her table and have a conversation about the potential impact of an abortion ban.
“I love this town. I’m here for a reason and so are the rest of my friends who are business owners and feel the same way I do. We are not here to make demands on people. We just want safe healthcare for everybody to have access to in Indiana,” she said.
Most big companies across Indiana have not made an announcement on plans to offer resources for workers if Indiana passes an abortion ban.
However, Salesforce says it will continue covering travel and relocation costs for employees. That includes people at the regional headquarters in downtown Indianapolis. Latest numbers show Salesforce employs roughly 2,300 people in the city.