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A Better Balance’s New York and Southern offices are recruiting rising third-year law students, judicial clerks, and recent law school graduates interested in applying for an externally funded 1-2 year public interest fellowship starting in September 2024. A National fellow would be based in New York City; a Southern fellow would be based in Nashville, TN.

A Better Balance (ABB) is a national legal advocacy organization that uses the power of the law to advance justice for workers, so they can care for themselves and their loved ones without jeopardizing their economic security. Our expert legal team combats discrimination against pregnant workers and caregivers and advances supportive policies like paid sick time, paid family and medical leave, fair scheduling, and accessible, quality childcare and eldercare. When we value the work of providing care, which has long been marginalized due to sexism and racism, our communities and nation are healthier and stronger. We remain steadfast in working to dismantle the intersectional forms of injustice that contribute to the structural inequality working families in this country face, including but not limited to, gender injustice, racial injustice, economic injustice, health injustice, and injustice against immigrants, LGTBQIA communities, and people with disabilities, and are seeking candidates who are committed to this work.

Since our founding, A Better Balance has been working to value the labor of caregiving and to shift the debate over work-family issues from those that center the concerns of white, professional workers to be inclusive of a focus on the needs of low-wage workers and workers of color. We approach our work around the country with these values at the forefront. Ensuring families of color have access to strong work-family policies—especially BIPOC workers who are currently the least likely to have access to these policies due to centuries of institutionalized racism, systemic barriers to economic mobility, and pervasive discrimination—is a core principle of ABB’s work.

The organization has fought for and won new paid leave policies, important pregnancy and caregiver protections, breastfeeding accommodations, inclusive protections for all families, including LGBTQ families, and victories on other economic justice issues federally and throughout the country. Most recently, A Better Balance secured two monumental wins for workers across the country: the passage of the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. Our advocacy work and legal efforts have gained national recognition in dozens of outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. We are dedicated to lifting up the voices of our clients, who are predominantly low-wage working women of color, and those most directly affected by our policy work. Our free and confidential helpline provides legal assistance and information to low-wage workers.

ABB is based in New York City and maintains an office in Washington, D.C., a Southern regional office in Nashville, TN, and an office in Denver, CO.

In New York, where we are headquartered, we have been leaders in many successful campaigns both in the city/state and across the country, including on paid family and medical leave laws, the fight to guarantee earned sick time to millions of workers across the country, pregnant workers fairness laws, which ensure that pregnant workers are not pushed out of their jobs when they need a modest accommodation to stay healthy, caregiver and lactation anti-discrimination laws, and fair workweek laws. Following legislative campaigns, we are working on effective implementation of these laws, creating materials, doing outreach to low-income communities, and prioritizing representation of low-income workers of color who are being denied rights we helped secure.

Our Southern Office focuses on the issues affecting working families in the Southeast United States, where poverty rates for women and families, particularly women and families of color, are among the highest in the country and where legal protections are often scarce. Workers of color are the least likely to have access to paid leave and other critical workplace rights to help them to care for their families without risking their economic security. Our Southern work thus focuses on remedying these legal gaps by enforcement and education as well as working to pass paid family and medical leave, paid sick days, and other work/family justice laws across the Southeast and pushing back against policies that harm working families in the region including attacks on progressive local policies.

Qualifications:

• Law degree required by May 2024, bar admission in NY or TN by Fall 2024 preferred.*
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, work/family law and policy, gender and women’s rights, civil rights, and/or advocacy for low-income populations and ending racial, gender, health, and economic injustice.
• Commitment to diversity within the office using an approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and socio-economic circumstance.
• Superior written and oral communication, advocacy, legal research, and analytic skills. Experience writing for legal and non-legal audiences a plus.
• Self-motivated with demonstrated problem solving, prioritizing, time management, team-building, and organizational skills.
• Comfort and familiarity with small non-profit and remote environments, ability to use limited resources efficiently and effectively, ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience working with impacted communities, particularly communities of color and individuals with disabilities.
• Experience with the community you propose to serve a plus.
• Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bengali, Haitian Creole, French, Somali, and/or Korean fluency are a plus.

* Selected fellowship candidates will be required to take the NY or TN bar if not already admitted.

Funding and Benefits

Fellows will be paid a salary of $68,000-72,000, and if the amount of external funding is less than this amount, A Better Balance will make up the difference.

This position requires external funding, meaning it is not paid for by ABB and comes from another source. Some potential sources of external funding include the Skadden Foundation, Equal Justice Works, and Justice Catalyst. Many law schools also offer funding to law graduates in the form of fellowships. If you are selected by ABB as a fellowship candidate, we will then work together to put together a project proposal.

ABB offers 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave with full wage replacement, accrued paid time off up to 19.5 days a year (or 26 days a year after 5 years with the organization), up to 20 separate paid sick days a year, paid time off for 13 holidays, 3 paid personal days a year, and paid bereavement leave. ABB is also proud to use the same model inclusive family definition that we advocate for around the country.

We offer pre-tax health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as access to pre-tax retirement contributions. An overview of our current benefits program is available here.  ABB also provides reimbursement towards certain professional fees, as well as stipends and reimbursement for home office expenses.

Given our organizational mission, we are committed to encouraging a healthy work/life balance for all employees.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted by June 16th, 2023, and will be considered on a rolling basis. Applicants will be expected to work with A Better Balance on application materials in July and early August, although we will accommodate any summer work or vacation plans.

To apply, please e-mail the following documents with the subject line “2024 Fellowship – [First Name Last Name]” to: careers@abetterbalance.org:

• a resume including relevant experience – note, this need not only be paid work or work you did during law school;
• tailored letter of interest, including your connection to ABB’s work;
• a short legal writing sample showing legal analysis, including applying facts to the law; and
• at least two references, including one professor/instructor from law school and one supervisor of legal work – these should be the individuals you plan to ask to write recommendations in support of your fellowship candidacy if selected by ABB.

A Better Balance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and we value diversity, inclusion, and belonging in our workforce. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, family status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, arrest or conviction, or any other factor protected by law.

A Better Balance is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities or other medical needs. If you are an individual with a disability or other medical need and need assistance applying online, please e-mail careers@abetterbalance.org.  If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

Organization Description:

A Better Balance (ABB) is a national legal advocacy organization that uses the power of the law to advance justice for workers, so they can care for themselves and their loved ones without jeopardizing their economic security. Our expert legal team combats discrimination against pregnant workers and caregivers and advances supportive policies like paid sick time, paid family and medical leave, fair scheduling, and accessible, quality childcare and eldercare. When we value the work of providing care, which has long been marginalized due to sexism and racism, our communities and nation are healthier and stronger. We remain steadfast in working to dismantle the intersectional forms of injustice that contribute to the structural inequality working families in this country face, including but not limited to, gender injustice, racial injustice, economic injustice, health injustice, and injustice against immigrants, LGTBQIA communities, and people with disabilities, and are seeking candidates who are committed to this work.

Since our founding, A Better Balance has been working to value the labor of caregiving and to shift the debate over work-family issues from those that center the concerns of white, professional workers to be inclusive of a focus on the needs of low-wage workers and workers of color. We approach our work around the country with these values at the forefront. Ensuring families of color have access to strong work-family policies—especially BIPOC workers who are currently the least likely to have access to these policies due to centuries of institutionalized racism, systemic barriers to economic mobility, and pervasive discrimination—is a core principle of ABB’s work.

The organization has fought for and won new paid leave policies, important pregnancy and caregiver protections, breastfeeding accommodations, inclusive protections for all families, including LGBTQ families, and victories on other economic justice issues federally and throughout the country. Our advocacy work and legal efforts have gained national recognition in dozens of outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. We are dedicated to lifting up the voices of our clients, who are predominantly low-wage working women of color, and those most directly affected by our policy work. Our free and confidential helpline provides legal assistance and information to low-wage workers.

ABB is based in New York City and maintains an office in Washington, D.C., a Southern regional office headquartered in Nashville, TN, and an office in Denver, CO.

Position Description:

Based in the United States, and working remotely out of our office in New York City, the Law Fellow will support A Better Balance’s mission of advancing justice for women, families, and caregivers through the provision of direct legal services. The Law Fellow will staff our free and confidential legal helpline to directly assist low-wage workers nationwide facing challenges at work related to sick leave, family and medical leave, pregnancy discrimination, breastfeeding, and other issues impacting their ability to care for themselves or their loved ones without jeopardizing their financial security. The Law Fellow will primarily conduct intakes with and provide know-your-rights information to workers in English and Spanish. The Law Fellow will also help assess cases for representation and may have the opportunity to represent low-wage workers in settlement negotiations and/or litigation. In addition, the Law Fellow will conduct occasional know-your-rights trainings for workers in English and Spanish and will also develop and provide translation support for know-your-rights materials in English and Spanish. This is a one-year fellowship position with the possibility of extension that we are looking to fill as soon as possible.

Qualifications:

• JD and admitted to practice law (or admission pending)
• Spanish fluency required
• Experience providing direct legal services preferred
• Experience or background in employment law preferred
• Commitment to work/family law and policy, reproductive health, women’s rights, civil rights, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, disability rights, or advocacy for low-income individuals
• Excellent written and oral communication, advocacy, research, and analytical skills
• Self-motivated with ability to thrive in a fast-paced, remote work environment
• Great attention to detail and organizational skills

FULL TIME EQUIVALENT

Full time (37.5 hours per week)

Salary and Benefits:

Salary range is $68,000-$72,000, depending on qualifications and experience.

ABB offers 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave with full wage replacement, accrued paid time off up to 19.5 days a year (or 26 days a year after 5 years with the organization), up to 20 separate paid sick days a year, paid time off for 13 holidays, 3 paid personal days a year, and paid bereavement leave. ABB is also proud to use the same model inclusive family definition that we advocate for around the country.

We offer pre-tax health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as access to pre-tax retirement contributions. An overview of our current benefits program is available here.  ABB also provides reimbursement towards certain professional fees, as well as stipends and reimbursement for home office expenses.

Given our organizational mission, we are committed to encouraging a healthy work/life balance for all employees.

How to Apply:

To apply, please e-mail a resume, tailored letter of interest, and writing sample to careers@abetterbalance.org with the subject line “Direct Services Fellowship – [First Name Last Name].” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

A Better Balance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and we value diversity, inclusion, and belonging in our workforce. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, family status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, arrest or conviction, or any other factor protected by law.

A Better Balance is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities or other medical needs. If you are an individual with a disability or other medical need and need assistance applying online, please e-mail careers@abetterbalance.org.  If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.