Disney celebrates blockbuster 2026 by kicking employees' spouses off healthcare plans

This is per Puck, which reports Disney’s decision will kick “thousands” off the company’s plans and force them to pay more for inferior coverage, which will “likely impact lower-paid workers and hourly employees most.” It’s all part of Disney’s employee loyalty program, “Total Rewards,” a new internal benefits system that allows those who make that Disney magic possible to experience the wonder of a Disney price hike. However, while it might seem egregious, heartless, and cruel for a $185 billion company to treat its workers like a Disney+ subscriber, an internal memo obtained by Puck reveals a very sympathetic reason for kicking its employees’ spouses off their healthcare: “Like many companies, we’re navigating a number of factors, including rising healthcare costs, evolving company needs, and shifts across the industry.”