Resources

This brief gives state lawmakers and advocates specific recommendations to support paid leave based on research from the report Meeting the Promise of Paid Leave: Best Practices in State Paid Leave Implementation.

CHART | A detailed summary of existing family leave laws in California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington, New York, D.C., Massachusetts and Connecticut

FACT SHEET | A national paid family and medical leave insurance program would provide mothers and fathers with much-needed pay when they need time off for family or medical reasons.

A summary of existing state and local laws that require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers.

This disastrous policy impacts 55,000 D.C. women of reproductive age enrolled in Medicaid; pushing abortion care out of reach for many.

A section-by-section summary of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would ensure reasonable workplace accommodations for pregnant women who need them.

In the United States, health and racism are inextricably linked. Racism and discrimination are deeply ingrained in the social, political, and economic fabric of our society and have a harmful impact on individuals and communities of color.

FACT SHEET | Details on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and why it is critical for pregnant workers and their families that Congress take action.

FACT SHEET | While our country claims to value mothers and families, our policies are making childbirth more dangerous, pushing working moms out of the labor force, perpetuating a punishing gender wage gap and blocking people from deciding when and if to become a parent.

Everyone needs time to access health care without risking their economic stability. Paid sick days allow a person to recover from short-term illnesses, access preventive care, undergo a basic medical procedure or care for a sick child or family member. Yet, more than 34 million people working in the private sector don’t have a single paid sick day and, for too many of them, taking time away from work to attend to their health means risking their jobs and financial stability.

Because not everyone who needs access to abortion care may be aware of paid sick days laws in their state, we partnered with the National Network of Abortion Funds to create this Know Your Rights document for Arizona.

Addressing the social determinants of health is recognized as a key strategy to improve health outcomes, and potentially reduce health disparities. Here's a policy framework for policymakers and the private sector.

FACT SHEET | Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce and are the primary or co-breadwinners in two-thirds of families. But our nation’s public policies don’t reflect this reality.

Maternal health disparities have many causes, but disparate social conditions and a lack of prenatal care or substandard maternal care are often key factors. Community-based maternal care models can help to narrow the disparities in maternal health outcomes by providing expanded prenatal, childbirth and postpartum support that is respectful and culturally relevant to at-risk women.

The United States is currently experiencing a maternal health crisis. Bold legislation is required to significantly improve outcomes and save women’s lives.

FACT SHEET | Pervasive coverage disparities remain for women of color, despite significant health insurance gains since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Health insurance provides access to the care women of color need to get and stay healthy, including preventive care, routine screenings and management of chronic conditions.

FACT SHEET | The Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination (BE HEARD) in the Workplace Act to enhance accountability in the workplace and strengthen protections for workers against discrimination and harassment.

The Equality Act (H.R. 5/S. 788) is groundbreaking civil rights legislation that would amend and supplement the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other key federal nondiscrimination laws that provide protection from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin or religion.

Women should be at the forefront of every conversation about the future of our health care system. They play an outsized role in contributing to the health care system as decision-makers and advocates for themselves and their loved ones. But, their unique circumstances are too frequently ignored, with a variety of adverse health and economic implications for them and their families.

The ability to make personal health care decisions should not depend on how much money a woman makes or where she gets her health insurance. This groundbreaking legislation would put an end to politicians denying women insurance coverage for medical care they need.