Today, the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF) and its coalition partners observe the third annual Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day. The day brings light to the wage gap that disabled women face: they are paid just 56 cents for every dollar paid to nondisabled men, leaving them with $24,000 less each year to cover everyday expenses and the additional costs associated with living with a disability.
A new analysis by NPWF experts of data released by Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows 81% of private-sector workers can now take paid time off work when they’re sick – but 24 million workers still lack access.
“A 2026 National Partnership for Women and Families analysis found that although women make up 47 percent of U.S. workers, they account for 83 percent of workers in AI-vulnerable occupations.”
Following their annual analysis of Census Bureau data on women’s and men’s pay, experts at the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF) determined that the gap in pay for all working women, whether they work full or part time, narrowed by two cents and now stands at 78 cents for every man’s dollar. This comes alongside news that the wage gap for women working full time, year round narrowed by three cents in 2025 – to 84 cents – after widening for the last two years in a row.
In part three of its new disability economic justice report series, the National Partnership for Women & Families shows how Trump-administration changes to the U.S. Department of Education will have lasting, harmful effects on the financial stability of women with disabilities.
Today, the National Partnership for Women & Families, Equal Rights Advocates, and The 75 Million Project issued recommendations for Congress to restore and strengthen critical anti-discrimination and equal employment opportunity protections for workers employed by federal contractors.
“Today, we stand alongside Virginia’s hardworking advocates, workers and families to celebrate another historic and important win in the state, and to express deep gratitude to Governor Abigail Spanberger for signing paid sick and safe leave into law.”
“Today, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requested White House approval of a proposed rule to stop requiring many employers, contractors, unions, schools and governments to regularly report demographic workforce data to the federal government — data that includes race, sex, and ethnicity of workers across certain categories.”
“Telework can provide clear benefits for workers and employers, yet access to such opportunities is too often uneven and arbitrary,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families and co-lead of The 75 Million.
A new report, “AI and Emerging Risks for Women Workers,” from the National Partnership for Women & Families finds that artificial intelligence is reshaping women’s jobs and working conditions.
“This week, the Virginia legislature gave final approval to a comprehensive paid family and medical leave program in the Commonwealth, making Virginia the 15th state, including Washington, D.C., to enact a paid leave law and marking a major step forward for working families in the state.”
“Unlike the newly proposed benefits, FMLA’s primary purpose is job protection, allowing employees to take time off without fear of losing their jobs. Whether pay or short-term disability insurance is offered while eligible employees use FMLA varies by employer. The National Partnership for Women and Families says only about 60% of Ohioans are eligible for FMLA.
“The new bill would promise to deliver a benefit to the 77% of workers, or about 4.5 million people according to the organization, in Ohio who currently are not eligible for paid leave through their employers.
“’The lack of paid leave has devastating costs for Ohioans and their families and for the entire state’s economy by shrinking the workforce and lowering productivity, cutting workers’ incomes and harming public health amid a scarcity of reproductive and maternal health care,’ wrote the organization in February.”
“More than 6 million Black women, or 57% of Black women in the workforce, live in ‘pre-emption states,’ according to a March report from the National Partnership for Women & Families, A Better Balance and the 75 Million. This term describes states where laws on the books don’t mandate paid sick leave and bar local governments from passing their own paid sick day laws.
“‘Instead, [Black women] are being forced to shoulder caregiving and breadwinning responsibilities without the most basic workplace safeguards,’ Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families and co-lead of The 75 Million said in a statement. Pre-emption states are harmful for Black women and harmful overall, because Black women have some of the highest rates of labor force participation in the U.S., Frye said.
“‘Black women are disproportionately suffering from a lack of access to paid sick days, and are often forced to make impossible choices between their health and paycheck as a result,’ she added.”
“The National Partnership for Women & Families applauds the passage of legislation that will provide paid sick leave and paid safe leave to workers across the state of Virginia. HB5/SB199 will keep workers from having to decide between going to work sick or ignoring their own health and safety, and losing money in their paychecks or their jobs altogether.”
Coming off the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, and now transitioning into Women’s History Month, a new report shows that Black women are disproportionately impacted by the absence of a national paid sick leave law.
“The National Partnership for Women & Families is thrilled to congratulate Virginia on passing a paid family and medical leave law, which will provide 3.2 million Virginians with access to paid time off to take care of themselves or their loved ones.”
“‘Currently, the District of Columbia and 13 states have passed laws requiring paid leave for many workers, according to a report from the National Partnership for Women & Families, a nonprofit that advocates for reproductive rights, health and economic justice, and workplace equality.
“‘’States have shifted the paradigm now that more than 46 million workers across the U.S. are covered by paid family and medical leave programs, pointing the way forward for the rest of the country,’ Jessica Mason, senior policy analyst at the organization, said in a news release.”
A new report from the National Partnership for Women & Families reveals that one in three private-sector workers in the U.S. now has access to paid family and medical leave through a state program.
“With one in five workers nationwide still lacking access to paid sick days, this bill help would guarantee that no one has to choose between their job and their health or family.”
The National Partnership for Women & Families debuted a refresh of AdvancingPaidLeave.org, one of the only websites designed for businesses that want to support working families – and improve work-life balance for employees who are caregivers or have long-term medical needs – through offering paid family and medical leave.