Advancing the rights of working families.
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The Need for Fairness in the Workplace Many workplace norms and laws were developed over half a century ago, when a different workforce model and a different family model prevailed. In 1960, 70% of families had at least one parent at home full-time. Today, 70% of children are growing up in families headed by either a single working parent or two working parents. A Better Balance is working to change laws and policies to better reflect the way Americans live and work today.  
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The Need for Paid Sick Leave It comes as a shock to many Americans, who take for granted that they can stay home from work when they are sick, that 40 to 44 million of their fellow workers don’t have a single paid sick day. In fact, 38 percent of private sector U.S. employees have no paid sick time according to government statistics. Even fewer workers can take time off if their child or another family member is sick.
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The Need for Paid Family Leave The United States stands alone among industrialized countries in failing to guarantee workers paid family leave.  When a loved one has a health crisis, or when a new child is born or adopted, far too many American workers are forced to take unpaid leave or exit the workforce altogether.  Low-income workers and their families are especially vulnerable as they often lack the financial resources necessary to take advantage of unpaid time off.
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The Need to Value Care Work The United States suffers from widespread and persistent devaluation of care work. Our country treats the work of caring for children, the elderly, and those who are sick or disabled as secondary to other forms of labor. As a result, the work of caregiving is often poorly compensated or completely unpaid and, because it is treated as a private concern, the labor it involves becomes invisible. The labor of stay-at-home parents is taken for granted and domestic workers who provide paid care usually perform their labor without adequate legal protections.
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Work-Family Updates

equalpay_image New Report by the Retail Action Project. A new report by the Retail Action Project found that women and people of color working in retail are not receiving equal pay for equal work. It also found that 70% of workers only know their schedules a week before they have to report to work. This lack of flexibility is devastating for parents who are unable to make necessary arrangements for childcare. Finally, according to the study, less than a quarter of workers have actually taken a paid sick day. A Better Balance is working hard to help these workers! 
psd-fever It's About Time! Relaunch of the New York City Paid Sick Time Campaign.  On January 18, 2012, A Better Balance and the NYC Paid Sick Days Coalition held a large rally at City Hall to relaunch the paid sick time campaign.  The coalition is larger, stronger, and more determined than ever to pass the NYC Paid Sick Time Act in 2012.  Click here for answers to frequently asked questions on paid sick time in NYC.  For more information on the rally and paid sick time campaign in NYC, click here.
fnesswork_thumb FMLA Supreme Court Case.  The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on January 11, 2012 on an important FMLA case. A Better Balance signed an amicus brief with other organizations arguing that the FMLA does apply to state employees taking leave for their own serious medical needs, including pregnancy and childbirth.  To read the brief and find out more information click here. 
valuecarework_thumb Proposed Rights for Home Care Workers.  The White House announced on December 16th that it would propose regulations to extend minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers. Home care workers have long been exempted from wage laws because of a "companion" exemption, lumping home care workers in a category with casual babysitters. Click here to learn more about our work valuing caregivers and here to learn more about the new regulations. 
bill_of_rights_image Rights for Domestic Workers.  November 29th, 2011 marks the first anniversary of the New York Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Click here to learn more about this important legislation. A Better Balance will be participating in a Domestic Workers Convention on December 3rd, 2011 to provide legal information to hundreds of domestic workers in need of assistance.

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 Disappointing News from Denver.  Corporate lobbyists spent a significant amount of money to defeat a Denver ballot initative that would have provided paid sick time to 107,000 workers in the city. Following the recent success of paid sick time legislation in Seattle, Philadelphia and Connecticut, A Better Balance will continue to fight for laws that ensure that all workers can take time off to care for themselves and sick family members. 
PaidSickLeaveColor Power to our Families! Thanks to all who joined us and over 100 parents in Brooklyn on October 16th, making our family event for paid sick time a success! Click here to see pictures and a video from the event, and click here to read a petition organized by parents.  
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 Paid Sick Time Victory in Seattle.  On September 12, 2011, the Seattle City Council voted 8-1 to pass an ordinance requiring employers to provide paid sick time.  Mayor McGinn signed the bill on September 23, 2011. For the 190,000 workers in Seattle who lack paid sick time, this is terrific news! A Better Balance provided legal assistance to the campaign in Seattle, and we are continuing to support similar efforts around the country. Next up in our fight to provide all workers with paid sick time: Philadelphia, Denver, NYC, and Massachusetts! Click here to learn more about the Seattle ordinance.
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 The Staff of A Better Balance has been busy this summer!  Click here to read more about our recent activities and accomplishments. Our summer newsletter highlights A Better Balance's legal support for paid sick days and fair pay campaigns in New York and around the country, the publication of two new A Better Balance reports, our leadership role in several national work/family conferences, our efforts to educate new mothers about their breastfeeding rights, and much more.

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From the Blog

  • Serve With Care
    Recent food writing has made much ado about how our food travels from the farm to our kitchens. But far less has been written about the journey from the restaurant kitchen to your dining table. While we’re cheerfully indulging in a delicious meal, craning for quick service, and self-righteously contemplating whether our server earned a 15 or 25 percent tip, the restaurant workers have most likely
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    posted by Cari Jackson, Director of Parent Organizing on Monday, 23 January 2012
  • New York City Workers Deserve Paid Sick Days
    One and a half million New Yorkers face a terrible dilemma when they or their child become ill. That's because they have no paid sick days. We need a law to lift a burden that's particularly hard on low-income single moms.
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    posted by Sherry Leiwant, Co-President on Friday, 20 January 2012

Caring Across Generations

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A Better Balance is part of the leadership team for the Caring Across Generations campaign. CAG works to support elderly individuals, people with disabilities, and their families with finding high-quality, affordable care. CAG also supports the workers who provide the direct care to those in need. As the baby boomers age, more and more individuals will be in need of long-term care and more direct care workers will need rights and protections. CAG seeks to transform current policies to meet these needs.

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