In 1971, a small group of extraordinary women forms the Women’s Legal Defense Fund, later called the National Partnership for Women & Families

Thanks to our legal work, college students are allowed to publish an article on abortion rights and, five years later, sexual harassment is illegal job discrimination

Thanks in large part to our advocacy, in 1978, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act is enacted, prohibiting workplace discrimination based on pregnancy or childbirth

In 1979, we establish My Sister’s Place, a shelter for domestic violence survivors and their children, in Washington, D.C.

We launch a national “It Pays To Be a Man” campaign with the goal of fighting wage discrimination

We draft the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1984 and lead a diverse coalition to get it passed by Congress three times (!) over the next 9 years

In coalition with a diverse group of partners we helped to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which reaffirms that gender discrimination in the workplace is illegal and makes women eligible for damages

In 1993, the FMLA becomes law – historic legislation which we draft and lead the 9-year fight to pass – becoming the nation’s first law to help working people balance the dual demands of work and family

California becomes the first state to pass paid family leave in 2002 – and 14 more states (including D.C.) follow in the years to come with our support

In 2006, San Francisco secures the country’s first paid sick days ordinance – and 18 states (including D.C.), 15 cities, and 4 counties follow in the years to come with our support

We are a driving force behind passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, which removes barriers to women pursuing claims for gender-based pay discrimination

Thanks in large part to years of our leadership and advocacy, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) becomes law – ending discrimination against women and ensuring coverage of maternity care, preventive care, contraception, quality care measures, and much more

Our analysis shows more than 18 million previously uninsured Americans have health coverage thanks to the ACA

We resist, persist and insist at the Women’s March in D.C.

For the first time ever, federal workers now have 12 weeks of paid parental leave, thanks in large part to our advocacy

Jocelyn C. Frye becomes the first Black woman to lead the National Partnership and joins a SCOTUS rally on day one

In 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (described as the most progressive legislation in U.S. history) becomes law, and we successfully advocate for key protections to help women and families

In 2023, thanks to our leadership, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act goes into effect, providing the right to reasonable accommodations at work

The ACA is strengthened to include much-needed protections against discrimination and HIPAA is expanded to include additional protections for reproductive health patients, thanks to our advocacy

National Partnership management and staff ratify the organization’s first collective bargaining agreement