"Today’s news that Missouri is trying to shut down the only abortion clinic in the state means it could be the first state in the country without a health center that provides safe and legal abortion care. This comes days after the Missouri Governor signed one...
Connecticut Makes History
by Debra L. Ness | Jun 4, 2011 | Paid Sick Days
Today is a great day for workers in Connecticut, and a day that offers hope to tens of millions of workers throughout the country who cannot now earn paid sick time, no matter how long they hold a job or how solid their work record is.
Time to Support Older Americans and their Caregivers, Not Undermine Them
by Portia Wu | May 31, 2011 | Paid Sick Days
Respect your elders. Many of us have been given that advice by our parents, grandparents, teachers and mentors for as long as we can remember. So why don’t our public policies better address the needs of our country’s seniors and their families, and why do some lawmakers seem poised to dismantle the policies that older Americans rely on?
Connecticut Paid Sick Days Bill Takes a Giant Step Forward
by Vicki Shabo | May 25, 2011 | Paid Sick Days
Moments ago, the state Senate in Connecticut passed the state’s paid sick days bill, putting an exciting conclusion to debate in the chamber. Connecticut is now poised to become the first state in the nation to establish a paid sick days standard.
In the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love, A Chance to Stand Up for Working Families
by Vicki Shabo | May 23, 2011 | Paid Sick Days
Philadelphia’s workers are hoping the city will soon take a critical step toward changing the way workplaces honor families.
Seniors in America Today: “Not a Pretty Picture”
by Debra L. Ness | May 12, 2011 | Paid Leave
Earlier this week, I was privileged to be a part of Volunteers of America’s third annual discussion on aging issues. I was on a panel with Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post co-founder and editor-in-chief; Mike King, National President and CEO of Volunteers of America, Inc.; and Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, AARP Executive Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement. Our topic: How our nation’s public policies affect older Americans, especially women.
Paid Sick Days Campaigns Charge Forward
by Vicki Shabo | May 12, 2011 | Paid Sick Days
Around the country, paid sick days campaigns are making real progress.
It’s Time for a Family Friendly America
by Vicki Shabo | May 6, 2011 | Family Medical Leave Act
Mother’s Day. It’s a day when we shower the mothers in our lives with well-deserved compliments and gifts that show our appreciation. The heartfelt thanks, expressed in cards, flowers and chocolates, certainly have their place, but mothers today also need something much more lasting – policies that let them meet their own needs and those of their families.
Relentless. Deceptive. Dangerous.
by Debra L. Ness | May 5, 2011 | Reproductive Rights
The “”war on women”” in the House of Representatives rages on.
Wage Discrimination and the Fight for Fair Pay
by Sarah Crawford | Apr 12, 2011 | Fair Pay
In a few months, the Supreme Court will decide if the women in the landmark Dukes v. Wal-Mart wage discrimination case will get their day in court to challenge unfair pay and promotions. Today, on Equal Pay Day, Senator Barbara Mikulski and Representative Rosa DeLauro will re-introduce the Paycheck Fairness Act – legislation that would establish workplace supports to help advance fair, discrimination-free workplaces. Both are big news in the fight for fair pay this year, and both represent critical ways to combat the wage discrimination that continues to hurt America’s women and their families.
Women and Families of Color Cannot Wait for Equal Pay
by Portia Wu | Apr 12, 2011 | Fair Pay
It’s Equal Pay Day. Today, we recognize that women have had to work nearly a quarter of the year to make the same amount as their male counterparts did last year. On average, women who work full time in the United States are still paid $10,622 less per year than full-time working men.
When Women Do Better, Families Do Better and the Nation Can Thrive
by Debra L. Ness | Apr 12, 2011 | Fair Pay
President Obama hit the mark during his recent Women’s History Month address on fair pay when he said that “achieving equal pay for equal work isn’t just a women’s issue. It’s a family issue.” At the National Partnership, we’ve been saying the same thing for decades: when women do better, families do better. It couldn’t be more true.
Paid Sick Days Standards Promote LGBT Health
by Vicki Shabo | Mar 31, 2011 | Paid Sick Days
As we near the end of LGBT Health Awareness Week — a time to focus on eliminating the health disparities and health care discrimination faced by the LGBT community — we cannot forget the role that access to health care plays in promoting the health and well-being of LGBT workers and their families.