Blog

Last week, the United States celebrated a massive victory for LGBTQ people: a Supreme Court decision that determined LGBTQ people are protected under federal law against employment discrimination. Before the ruling, seventeen states had no laws against employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, and eleven states had laws that only partially protected some employees. The court’s decision marks such a sweeping victory that it rivals same-sex marriage legalization in the benefit it will have to LGBTQ people in the United States.

This year’s Pride Month comes at a time of national and global unrest. In April and May, Pride parades, festivals and other celebrations nationwide set for June were cancelled due to COVID-19 social distancing measures.

Earlier this month, the National Partnership participated in #BlackoutTuesday, interrupting our business as usual to amplify other voices instead of our own. We believed it was a good and important thing to do. And we did it with sincerity and humility. In hindsight, we also did it without fully understanding the meaning of our words.

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month presents an opportunity to reflect on the rich history and contributions that my community has made to our country and consider what kind of a world we are creating for future generations

The wage gap is just one of many examples of the burden women of color bear by living in a white supremacist and patriarchal society.

These legislative victories are proof the paid sick days movement is gaining significant traction and that the tipping point for a national policy is soon near. Yet even as we celebrate a decade of tremendous progress, today more than 34 million private sector workers cannot earn a single paid sick day. 

Thanksgiving reminds us that, in the fight for paid family and medical leave, we must never lose sight of the diverse family relationships that are at the heart of our work.

Our laws and policies should protect and provide opportunity to everyone living in our country. We should ensure that women and families can thrive in a safe and healthy environment. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, celebrate survivors by telling your senators and representative we refuse to wait any longer. 

Domestic workers are undervalued, underpaid and, largely because of institutional racism and sexism, are unprotected by our nation's most basic federal employment laws. Members of Congress now have an opportunity to begin to correct past injustices by supporting and passing the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

Today, working people and advocates for fairer workplaces are marking Implementation Day to celebrate the anniversaries of paid sick days and paid family and medical leave laws across the country.

Sunday is Father's Day. A day when dads everywhere will feel a sense of pride, get their 453rd pair of socks, and if they're like me, proudly tape an illegible Father’s Day card their daughter scribbled at preschool to their refrigerator.

As we fight for paid sick days and paid family and medical leave laws that allow people to maintain economic security while caring for their loved ones, it is critical that these laws allow time to care for a range of family members.

As we begin 2019 Black History Month, we must renew our commitment to fighting for Black women and families and remember the reality that people of color are uniquely harmed by race discrimination and this harm is exacerbated for women of color by gender discrimination. We must commit to centering our work on people and families of color in order to address all aspects of the racism that permeate our society.

No one should be denied opportunity, dignity, happiness or respect because of where they live or work or how much money they make. But because of our country’s punitive and inadequate policies, that is precisely what happens every day to people deciding if and when to parent.

Next week the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the open seat on the Supreme Court. If Kavanaugh is confirmed, we fear — and expect, based on his record — that workers’ rights and the rights of women will be in grave jeopardy.

Today’s dads aren’t the same as their own fathers. One indication of the change is the fact that fathers in the United States have nearly tripled the time they spend caring for children since 1965. But our paternity leave policies and the uptake of leave haven’t kept up with the change. It’s time to press the update button.

On International Women's Day, it is difficult to ignore the fact that the United States is an international outlier when it comes to paid leave.

Workers need strong workplace policies – and strong unions – to ensure they are treated with dignity and respect. But working people are under attack.

Unless Congress enacts legislation that will help all women receive higher wages and remain and succeed in the workforce, women and families, and especially women of color, will continue to suffer – and our economy and nation will pay the price.

Twenty-five years after we won a national unpaid leave law, it's time to finally win paid leave.