Workplace Equality & Fair Pay

Mothers and other family caregivers deserve fair treatment on the job.

Yet too often, discrimination places unfair hurdles in their way, and drags down their earnings. These lost opportunities and lost wages compound over time, leading to long-term financial harm for caregivers and their families.

2/3
of American households rely on mothers for all or a substantial part of their income.
15%
The pay penality low-wage working mothers suffer for each child they bear
50%
of all workers who provide unpaid eldercare are working a full-time job in addition to their family caregiving responsibilities.

A Better Balance fights for strong equal pay laws and wage transparency, while also promoting and enforcing laws that prohibit workplace discrimination based on family status.

Achieving Equal Pay for Equal Work

Over 50 years since equal pay became the law of the land, women still earn on average only 78 cents for every dollar earned by their white, male counterparts.  This adds up to billions of dollars in lost income every year.  States are leading the way to strengthen equal pay laws and eliminate the gender pay gap for good.

Visit the ABB Resources to learn more about state and local efforts to eradicate the gender wage gap.

Family Status Discrimination on the Job

Bias against mothers and others caring for family members erects obstacles to their success on the job. We need better laws and stricter enforcement to prevent unfair treatment and ensure that individuals can fulfill their dual roles at home and at work without fear of discrimination.

Visit the ABB Resources to learn more about combating workplace discrimination based on family status.

Domestic and Direct Care Workers

Domestic and direct care workers provide support and services to millions of the most vulnerable Americans—the elderly, children, and individuals with disabilities. Their work is essential to the health and independence of those in need of care, and forms the foundation for a thriving economy, yet is chronically undervalued.

Visit the ABB Resources to learn more about efforts to lift up the critical work of direct care and domestic workers, and expand legal protections in those industries.

To learn more about achieving workplace fairness and equal pay, visit the ABB Resources section on Workplace Equality & Fair Pay.

Here you’ll get a wealth of information, including:

  • Information on equal pay protections around the country
  • Fact sheets on family status and caregiver discrimination in New York
  • Information about domestic workers’ rights