State Laws

The 2018 Midterms Bring New Opportunities and Challenges for Women and Working Families

November 7, 2018
National Laws, State Laws

The record-breaking wave of women running for office this election season and the soaring voter turnout made a difference. Last night's election results indicate many opportunities and of course some ongoing challenges to advancing the rights of women and all caregivers across the country.

ABB Urges Tennessee to Reject Medicaid Work Requirements

November 2, 2018
State Laws

Medicaid recipients who can and do work are at risk of losing health care coverage, since low-wage workers are more likely to be underemployed and to face unpredictable work schedules over which they often have no control. This is just one of the challenges that many of ABB’s clients and others already face in balancing work and their responsibilities in caring for children and other family members.

Defending Local Nondiscrimination Laws, Nashville and Beyond

October 5, 2018
Defending Local Democracy, State Laws

Tennessee has been at the center of a number of recent preemption conflicts in recent years, from the state’s 2011 law that prohibited cities from enacting nondiscrimination policies more protective than the state’s law to a bill passed this year that will withhold state funding for cities with certain “sanctuary city” policies.

The Big Picture: Paid Family and Medical Leave for Military Families

October 1, 2018
National Laws, Paid Family Leave, State Laws

Our paid family leave policies too often fail to address the specific needs of military families. Having a loved one deployed is stressful enough without having to worry about your family’s economic security. Here's an overview of the law today.

Press Release: ABB Responds to Passage of MI’s Earned Paid Sick Time Proposal

September 5, 2018
Defending Local Democracy, Paid Sick Time, State Laws

We applaud the passage today of Michigan’s earned paid sick time law giving nearly 2 million hard-working Michiganders the right to take time off to care for themselves and their families. But the fight is not over.

Your Questions Answered: From Our New York Paid Family Leave Hotline

August 23, 2018
Paid Family Leave, State Laws

At A Better Balance, we run a free and confidential hotline answering workers’ questions about New York’s paid family leave law. We hear from a lot of New Yorkers eager to get the family leave they need and we often hear the same questions from multiple callers.

Press Release: Lawsuit Filed Against Donut Shop for Discriminating Against Pregnant Employee

August 2, 2018
City Laws, Pregnant Workers Fairness, State Laws

A Better Balance filed a lawsuit today on behalf of a food service worker in upper Manhattan who—in a case of blatant and overt discrimination— was fired for being pregnant.

Celebrating Victories, Energizing for the Road Ahead: Equality Federation Leadership Conference 2018

July 31, 2018
Defending Local Democracy, LGBTQ, State Laws, Uncategorized

One of the many high points at the conference was hearing about the incredible cross-movement work happening at the local level, even in the face of state interference.

A Better Balance Launches Policy Brief Series on Paid Leave and the Future Of Work

July 26, 2018
Paid Family Leave, State Laws

Today, we launched Constructing 21st Century Rights For A Changing Workforce, a new series of policy briefs analyzing key issues in covering non-standard and precarious workers under paid leave laws. The first brief focuses on how paid family and medical leave laws can cover self-employed workers like freelancers and independent contractors.

Walmart’s Absence Policy Forces Pregnant Workers to Choose between a Healthy Pregnancy and a Pink Slip

July 24, 2018
Absence control, Pregnant Workers Fairness, State Laws

Leigha Klopp was pregnant and working at Walmart. One morning, she woke up vomiting blood. She called the store to tell them that she was going to the hospital, on the advice of her obstetrician, and that she would need to miss work. When she returned for her next scheduled shift, Walmart fired her. We filed a class-action lawsuit against Walmart on behalf of Ms. Klopp and another former Walmart employee.