A Better Balance

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A Better Balance is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with headquarters in New York City and offices in Nashville, Washington, D.C., and Denver. The organization focuses on legislative advocacy and education on labor issues, particularly relating to sick leave, parental leave, pregnancy discrimination, and work–life balance.[1] The organization also provides a legal helpline for inquiries on workplace rights.[2][3]

Work[edit]

A Better Balance's work focuses on a range of work-family issues, including:

  • Paid sick time
  • Paid family and medical leave
  • Legal protections for pregnant and postpartum workers, including lactating workers
  • Legal protections for caregivers in the workplace
  • Laws that promote fair workplace attendance policies and scheduling practices
  • Legal protections for misclassified workers, as well as gig and app-based workers
  • Combating state and federal preemption of local labor protections.[4]

History[edit]

A Better Balance was founded in New York City in 2006 by Dina Bakst and Sherry Leiwant.[5] Since then, the organization has expanded to include offices in Nashville, Tennessee; Washington, D.C.; and Denver, Colorado.[6]

In 2013, A Better Balance was part of the coalition that campaigned successfully for New York City's Earned Sick Time Act, which went into effect in 2014.[7] The organization also played a leading role in the coalition to pass New York's paid family leave law, which went into effect in 2018.[8]

In 2014, A Better Balance opened a Southern Office in Nashville, Tennessee.[9]

Since its founding, the organization has played a role in drafting and passing legislation providing workers with paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and an affirmative right to workplace pregnancy accommodations in numerous localities and states across the country, including in Tennessee, Connecticut, Louisiana, Colorado, Massachusetts, and more.[10]

In 2017, alongside the National Women's Law Center and Mehri & Skalet, and Sedey Harper & Westhoff, A Better Balance filed a nationwide class-action lawsuit against Walmart for failure to accommodate pregnant workers. A Better Balance filed additional charges of disability discrimination against Walmart later that year.[11] In 2020, a federal court granted final approval to a $14 million settlement in the matter of Borders v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.[12]

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act[edit]

A Better Balance played a leading role in the 2022 passage of the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which granted federal protections for pregnant and postpartum workers.[13] Representative Jerry Nadler credited a January 2012 New York Times op-ed, "Pregnant, and Pushed Out of a Job," penned by the organization's co-founder and co-president Dina Bakst, as an inspiration for first introducing the bill in 2012.[14][15] Bakst presented witness testimony at a 2019 House Education and Labor Committee hearing on the bill.[16] The organization helped draft the language of the bill[17][18] and was credited by Fast Company as the "primary driver" of the law.[19][20] The organization has also published online resources to educate workers of their rights under the law.[21]

Recognition[edit]

In 2020, Time magazine named A Better Balance and co-founder & co-president Dina Bakst on their list of "16 People and Groups Fighting for a More Equal America."[22]

In 2021, co-founders and co-presidents Bakst and Sherry Leiwant were awarded the Heinz Award for the Economy for A Better Balance's advocacy and policy work.[23]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mehta, Diane (April 17, 2020). "How to Ask for Parental Leave When You're an Hourly Worker". The New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  2. ^ Bogage, Jacob (August 8, 2023). "Pregnant workers would get new protections under proposed rules". Washington Post. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  3. ^ "Get Help". A Better Balance.
  4. ^ "Our Issues". A Better Balance. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Our History". A Better Balance.
  6. ^ "Our Offices". A Better Balance.
  7. ^ Lander, Brad (May 8, 2013). "Paid Sick Days for a Million More New Yorkers". HuffPost.
  8. ^ Gontcharova, Natalie (January 3, 2018). "Here's What You Should Know About New York's New Paid Family Leave Program". Refinery29.
  9. ^ "Family advocates open Nashville wing, write to senator". The Tennessean. May 9, 2014.
  10. ^ Carter, Christine Michel (August 6, 2021). "The Nonprofit Organization Secretly Advancing Public Policy For The Past 15 Years". Forbes.
  11. ^ "A Better Balance Files Four New Charges of Disability Discrimination Against Walmart Following "Pointing Out" Report" (Press release). PR Newswire. July 25, 2017.
  12. ^ Mulvaney, Erin (April 29, 2020). "Walmart's $14 Million Deal With Pregnant Workers Gets Approval". Bloomberg Law.
  13. ^ Mohan, Pavithra (July 27, 2022). "Why the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act still hasn't passed". Fast Company.
  14. ^ Nadler, Jerrold. "Making the new Pregnant Workers Fairness Act work for women and families". The Hill.
  15. ^ Gardner, Sophie (July 7, 2023). "The decade-long journey to end pregnancy discrimination". Politico.
  16. ^ "Full Committee Hearings | Committee Activity | House Committee on Education and Labor". edlabor.house.gov. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
  17. ^ Gurley, Lauren Kaori. "Congress expands protections for pregnant and nursing workers". Washington Post.
  18. ^ Gupta, Alisha Haridasani (June 27, 2023). "A New Law Aims to Stop Pregnancy Discrimination at Work". The New York Times.
  19. ^ Rainey, Clint (December 22, 2022). "Parents and pregnant workers score big wins in the omnibus spending package". Fast Company.
  20. ^ Peck, Emily (December 22, 2022). "Senate passes milestone protections for pregnant workers and new mothers". Axios.
  21. ^ Covert, Bryce (August 14, 2023). "The New Law to Protect Pregnant Workers Is Already Changing Lives". The Nation. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  22. ^ "These 16 People and Groups Are Fighting for a More Equal America". Time.
  23. ^ "Dina Bakst & Sherry Leiwant". Heinz Awards.
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