A Better Balance
@abetterbalance.org
Advancing justice in the workplace for women, caregivers, and people with health needs of their own. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act ✔️ Paid family and medical leave in 14 states ✔️ Paid sick time in 19 states ✔️ abetterbalance.org | 1-833-NEED-ABB
State lawmakers are increasingly using abusive laws to target LGBTQ+ rights, visibility, and daily life and erode local protections. Our new report with @thelssc.bsky.social and @equalityfed.bsky.social tracks 200 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in 48 states: www.abetterbalance.org/resources/st...
Attacks on LGBTQ+ dignity are increasing at the state level – since 2024 lawmakers have introduced at least 200 bills targeting LGBTQ+ kids, legal protections & more. Read the new white paper from @thelssc.bsky.social @abetterbalance.org @equalityfed.bsky.social: www.supportdemocracy.org/LGBTQ2026
A lack of access to paid leave costs workers physically, mentally, and financially. A new @clasp.org report illustrates why Southern families need these critical policies – and how recent wins in Virginia and Tennessee are paving the way for progress: www.clasp.org/publications...
Inaccessible and Costly: Southern Workers’ Experiences with Paid Leave | CLASP
Lack of padi leave deepens poverty and inequity, especially for women of color. CLASP calls for worker-centered paid leave policies with job protection.
clasp.org
Recently, the EEOC issued a letter finding reasonable cause to believe that Amtrak violated our client's rights by denying her accommodations to pump breast milk. We're pleased by the letter, and call on the transit company to do right by their employees. www.abetterbalance.org/the-eeoc-fin...
The EEOC Finds Reasonable Cause that Amtrak Violated Legal Protections for Employees in Need of Lactation Accommodations - A Better Balance
Recently, the EEOC issued a letter finding reasonable cause to believe that Amtrak violated our client's rights by denying her accommodations to pump breast milk.
abetterbalance.org
States are investing in care with policies like paid leave and paid sick time – but we still need federal action to support families nationwide. Read the full 2026 care report card from @tcfdotorg.bsky.social @caringacross.org. #CareCantWait go.tcf.org/CareReport26
Care Matters: A 2026 State Report Card on Care Affordability and Access
Download the Care Matters: A 2026 State Report Card on Care Affordability and Access PDF Care and caregiving are foundational to how society
go.tcf.org
The ever-rising cost of aging is catching many families off guard as they struggle to afford care for elderly loved ones. Without supports like paid family leave, too many families risk paying the financial cost for generations. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
washingtonpost.com
Alaskan voters made history by passing paid sick time on the ballot in 2024. One year since the law took effect, it's been a resounding success for workers and businesses alike. www.adn.com/opinions/202...
Opinion: One year in, Alaska’s paid sick leave law is working
No one should have to choose between their paycheck and their health.
adn.com
States can support NICU parents in their communities by passing laws that let them take #PaidLeave from work to be present with their babies. A new @abetterbalance.org guide outlines best practices for state NICU leave laws: www.abetterbalance.org/resources/be...
Best Practices for State NICU Leave Policies - A Better Balance
In the United States, nearly 10% of babies are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for specialized care. A NICU stay is often an unplanned and
abetterbalance.org
The PUMP Act gives workers nationwide the right to break time and private space to pump breast milk on the job. Know your rights! www.abetterbalance.org/resources/pu...
The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act: What You Should Know - A Better Balance
The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act (“PUMP Act”) is a new law that makes several important changes to the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law, which has required
abetterbalance.org
Paid time off work can make a world of difference for parents with babies in the NICU. Our new resource outlines how state advocates and lawmakers can create and pass strong NICU leave laws guaranteeing these rights: www.abetterbalance.org/states-can-s...
States Can Support NICU Families with Expanded Leave: New Guide on Best Practices - A Better Balance
Our new guide explains best practices for state advocates seeking to pass NICU leave policies that meet families' needs during this time.
abetterbalance.org
"I will be so disappointed in myself as the first county executive who will give birth in office to not be able to provide parental leave for other families who are struggling every day." Powerful statement from Allegheny Co. Executive Sara Innamorato: www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/n...
Sara Innamorato, Allegheny County's executive, announces she's pregnant
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato announced on Tuesday that she is pregnant.
cbsnews.com
A recent win for teachers in California exemplifies how paid leave “polls incredibly well across all political lines, because everyone agrees that you shouldn’t have to go back to work a day after you had a baby," we told @latimes.com: www.latimes.com/california/s...
California public school teachers win paid pregnancy leave, a long-sought benefit
California lawmakers approved up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for public school educators, ending a long-standing gap in teacher benefits.
latimes.com
Parents with babies in the NICU deserve protections at work when they need time off to be present. State lawmakers can help – our new resource outlines best practices for strong state-level NICU leave programs: www.abetterbalance.org/states-can-s...
States Can Support NICU Families with Expanded Leave: New Guide on Best Practices - A Better Balance
Our new guide explains best practices for state advocates seeking to pass NICU leave policies that meet families' needs during this time.
abetterbalance.org
On #BlackWomensEqualPayDay, a new @the75million.bsky.social report finds that Black women are being undervalued, underpaid, and denied critical benefits at work. Black women power our economy – they deserve fair pay and supportive workplaces. the75million.org/black-women-...
The 75 Million — Report: Black Women at Work
the75million.org
The wage gap is about more than fairness. It affects whether Black women can build wealth, support their families, buy homes, save for retirement, and weather financial emergencies. Equal pay is economic security. #BlackWomensEqualPayDay
Black women help power our economy every single day. They deserve equal pay for equal work. Closing the pay gap means stronger families, stronger workplaces and a stronger economy. #BlackWomensEqualPayDay
In just 3 days, July 24 marks 17 years since the federal minimum wage rose to $7.25. Keeping the wage floor frozen for nearly two decades is a policy choice that disproportionately keeps Black women underpaid. Seventeen years is enough. Raise the wage! #BlackWomensEqualPayDay
The wage gap facing Black women is not accidental - it's systemic. It reflects racism, sexism, and years of policies that undervalue Black women's labor, talent, and leadership. That injustice must end. #BlackWomensEqualPayDay
Black women working full-time, year-round earn just 65 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men. That gap adds up across every paycheck, every promotion, and every year on the job. Today, on #BlackWomensEqualPayDay, we're calling for change.
We partnered with the NCIT and the Alliance for Early Success to co-host a webinar sharing NICU families' stories and highlighting how a right to expanded NICU leave can help parents take the time they need to be present. Click through to watch: ncit.org/parents-need...
When Everyday Counts: Why Families Need Time to Care for their Babies in the NICU - NCIT - The National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers
For most parents, welcoming a new baby comes with excitement, anticipation and precious time spent bonding as a family. But for families whose babies require care in a neonatal intensive care unit…
ncit.org
States can support NICU parents in their communities by passing laws that let them take leave from work to be present with their babies. A new @abetterbalance.org guide outlines best practices for state NICU leave laws: www.abetterbalance.org/resources/be...
Best Practices for State NICU Leave Policies - A Better Balance
In the United States, nearly 10% of babies are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for specialized care. A NICU stay is often an unplanned and
abetterbalance.org
The Southern paid leave movement is continuing to grow, as more and more states expand access to these critical rights for families. www.abetterbalance.org/the-southern...
The Southern Paid Leave Movement Continues Growing With New Policy Wins for Families - A Better Balance
We're celebrating a number of exciting paid leave wins in the South, where states have stepped up to advance these critical policies.
abetterbalance.org
More and more fathers are taking paid parental leave under California's statewide program! This is great news for families, and also shows a shift away from outdated, gendered assumptions about caregiving. @workfamilyca.bsky.social @paidleaveforall.bsky.social laist.com/brief/news/e...
Role reversal
More dads than moms applying for parental leave
laist.com
With new legislation expanding the state's paid parental leave policy for state government employees, North Carolina's public sector paid leave program is now the strongest of its kind in the South! www.abetterbalance.org/north-caroli...
North Carolina Expands its Public Sector Paid Leave Program, Becoming the Strongest in the South! - A Better Balance
New legislation, which passed with strong bipartisan support, makes North Carolina the first state in the South to provide 12 weeks of fully paid leave to both mothers and fathers who work in the…
abetterbalance.org
The #PaidLeave movement is growing in the South. @abetterbalance.org recaps recent expansions and wins in states like Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Louisiana: www.abetterbalance.org/the-southern...
The Southern Paid Leave Movement Continues Growing With New Policy Wins for Families - A Better Balance
We're celebrating a number of exciting paid leave wins in the South, where states have stepped up to advance these critical policies.
abetterbalance.org
More exciting local paid leave progress out of Pennsylvania: Bucks County, PA just enacted paid parental leave for public employees! patch.com/pennsylvania...
Bucks County Enacts "Family First" Parental Leave Policy For Employees
The commissioners said they are hoping the new policy incentivizes recruits to join the county's workforce and existing workers to stay.
patch.com
Temperatures are soaring, and workers in physically demanding jobs are still clocking in. Everyone deserves the ability to stay safe, hydrated, and cool during heat waves – we need a federal heat standard to make sure workers are protected in extreme heat.
We'll be joining Rewrite the BiLine on July 27th for a webinar discussing why inclusive definitions of family on our laws are so important. Register here to join us virtually: www.eventbrite.com/e/expanding-...
Many states have stepped up to pass legal protections like paid sick time and paid family & medical leave for their workforces. Are you covered? Select your state to learn more about policies in your area: www.abetterbalance.org/know-your-ri...
Know Your Rights - A Better Balance
Knowledge is power. You shouldn't have to choose between caring for your health and your loved ones, or your paycheck—there are laws that can help.
abetterbalance.org
"There is a severe lack of understanding for fathers who want to take caregiving seriously." When dads take paid leave, it benefits their families AND promotes gender equity at work, as we told Outten & Golden: www.outtengolden.com/newsroom/bui...
Building Workplaces That Support Fathers and Caregivers: An Interview with A Better Balance’s Elizabeth Gedmark
Conversations about caregiving at work often focus on mothers, pregnancy, and maternity leave. Men and fathers also want to share family responsibilities, yet our laws and workplace cultures often…
outtengolden.com