Starbucks announced Monday that it will cover the travel expenses of employees seeking abortion or gender-affirming care.

The big picture: The move comes as conservative states continue to pass and enact laws restricting access to abortion and others banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender people.

• Starbucks is the latest company to announce plans to support employees who live in states limiting access to reproductive health care.

Details: Starbucks said it would cover travel expenses "when those services are not available within 100 miles" of an employee's home.

• It also stated that the benefit would also apply to employees' dependents if they are also enrolled in the company's health insurance.
• The company did not specify when the benefits would kick in, but a spokesperson told CNBC that they are still working on additional details.

Go deeper:

Go deeper

A federal judge blocked part of Alabama's new law that bans gender-affirming care for minors and makes it a felony for medical professionals to perform such medical treatments.

Why it matters: U.S. District Judge Liles Burke issued an injunction to allow challenges against the law to go forward, including the Department of Justice's complaint, which was filed last month.

Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced Monday that her government will formally apply to join NATO, paving the way for the Scandinavian country to submit a joint bid this week with its strategic ally and neighbor Finland.

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