Is Donald Trump’s Cabinet Anti-Woman? – New York Times – The New York Times
“They will frame this as flexibility, but it’s about the federal government paying less or making it easier for states to cut back on services,” said Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
Ikea Is Giving All U.S. Employees Paid Parental Leave No Matter How Many Hours They Work – Fortune
Starting Jan. 1, Ikea’s 14,000 salaried and hourly workers in the U.S. will receive up to four months of paid parental leave. Lars Petersson, head of Ikea’s U.S. operations, told the Wall Street Journal that the company expects the program to improve productivity and reduce turnover.
Bringing Up Baby, Helping the Economy – Scientific American
Too often new parents feel terrified—and not just about the daunting prospect of raising a child. Many of them must grapple with a gut-wrenching decision: How quickly can they leave their newborn to get back to their job? Few can afford to go without salaries for long or to weaken their future wage-earning potential by leaving their job altogether.
For National Adoption Month, a look at some local businesses that extended employees’ paid parental leave – BIZJOURNALS
As National Adoption Month comes to a close, we reflected on local employers who’ve made an impact in the lives of employees who adopt. Extending paid parental leave is a trend several large banks have joined this year to build in more flexibility and financial support for employees to care for their families.
Trump health nomination prompts relief and fear – USA Today – USA Today
“We need a health secretary who will fight to ensure high quality care is available and affordable to all and who will make women’s health needs, including reproductive health, a priority,” Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, said in a statement. “This is essential to strengthening families, our economy and the country.”
The U.S. Should Meet Global Standards On Breastfeeding And Paid Leave – Huffington Post
When taking time off after giving birth means risking a paycheck, everything becomes arduous — healing, bonding with the baby, breastfeeding. Governments need to invest in guaranteed paid family and medical leave and other policies so that families don’t have to win the job lottery to give their children the healthiest start to life.
New parents are forced to make ‘crazy decisions’ to keep their jobs and care for their kids – CNBC
[Parents are] making crazy decisions to try and figure out how to keep their jobs, make enough money to provide for their families and still have time to spend with their kids. Nearly one out of every four women who gives birth in the United States goes back to work just two weeks later.
US Businesses Cheer Overtime Ruling; Many Already Upped Pay – Associated Press – Associated Press
“This is about the worst news they could get heading into Thanksgiving and the holiday season,” said Vicki Shabo, vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, a Washington, D.C.-based group that promotes workplace fairness.
CMS launches new online tool to make Quality Payment Program easier for clinicians – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
“We applaud CMS for using innovations in technology to help clinicians select and report meaningful measures for the quality of care patients receive,” said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “APIs hold a lot of promise for helping consumers access and use information in a more actionable and easy-to-understand way, which can lead to improved outcomes for both patients and health care providers.”
America’s Top Employers Still Lag Far Behind On Basic Family Leave Policies – Fast Company
While a number of major companies have made significant strides in providing paid family leave this year, and the benefits of these policies are widely reported, a majority of the U.S.’s top employers still lag far behind.

