Realistic & Fair Wages

Living wages for mothers and equal pay for equal work.

Women are now half of the paid labor force in our nation for the first time ever. The labor of working women is increasingly essential to their family’s economic security, and is now also critical to the overall economic health of the United States. However, the public and private policies that affect parenting and the workplace have remained largely unchanged during this massive societal shift. As a result, families are reeling and parents of all socioeconomic backgrounds are struggling to earn enough and keep their families healthy.

On average, according to the U.S. Census, women now make only 80 cents to a man’s dollar, with moms and women of color experiencing more extreme wage hits. No longer should equally qualified women be paid less for the same job as a man. That’s why it’s absolutely essential that we, as a nation, make family economic security issues like pay equity a priority!

Paycheck Fairness Act

The Paycheck Fairness Act is a much needed update of the 55-year-old Equal Pay Act. It’s a comprehensive bill that would create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law, empower women to negotiate for equal pay, and strengthen federal outreach, education, and enforcement efforts. The bill would also deter wage discrimination by strengthening penalties for equal pay violations and by prohibiting retaliation against workers who ask about employers’ wage practices or disclose their own wages.

It's absolutely essential that we, as a nation, address family economic security issues like pay equity front and center. Women are now half of the paid labor force in our nation. The labor of working women is increasingly essential to their family's economic security, and is now also critical to the overall economic health of the United States. However, the public and private policies that affect parenting and the workplace have remained largely unchanged during this massive societal shift. As a result, families are reeling and parents of all socioeconomic backgrounds are struggling to earn enough and keep their families healthy.

More Fair Pay Resources

As a physician who was employed by one of the most well known medical schools in the country, I found that after 7 years on the faculty and with all of the possible credentials and board certifications, I was being paid $8000 less than a brand new male physician in a similar role in the same...Read more

Julie, California

Blog posts

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A photo of actor and SAGAFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris with Executive Director David White.]

Families & The Federal Budget Realistic & Fair Wages

04/06/20

Got questions on unemployment insurance? Check out this podcast I just recorded with Gabrielle Carteris, the President of SAG-AFTRA (the screen actors’ union), about the Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits are available under the recently-passed CARES Act. We go through the basics of UI and then concentrate particularly on those industries where it’s common for people to have a lot of different jobs, including people who have both W2 and 1099 jobs with fair frequency.

Judy Conti

Resources for Washington families!

Family Economic Security Paid Family Leave Paid Sick Days

04/01/20

UPDATED ON 4/20/20 *En español* These are impossible times. But amid the chaos and uncertainty of what's ahead, the best thing we can do is to support one another. The COVID-19 pandemic has had disastrous impacts on families across Washington. We have compiled a list of resources here to share with...

Maggie Humphreys

Family Economic Security Paid Family Leave Paid Sick Days Realistic & Fair Wages

03/31/20

We’re all feeling it — the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic and what it means for our loved ones and collective future, but we cannot ignore the many ways in which the coronavirus crisis is a gendered one, especially on Equal Pay Day – Tuesday, March 31st, 2020.

Sara Alcid

Family Economic Security MomsRising Near You

03/13/20

Victory! Thanks to the advocacy of moms and families across Washington, the Washington State Legislature is ending the 2020 legislative session with some major victories on childcare and early learning, maternal health, comprehensive sex ed, and unemployment insurance access for family caregivers!...

Maggie Humphreys

Health Care MomsRising Paid Family Leave Paid Sick Days

02/28/20

As we wrap up February this weekend with Leap Day and head into spring, we can't help but notice all of the conversations regarding the coronavirus. More importantly, we are all concerned with the costs that will place burden on American families of both getting tested and in whatever vaccines Big...

Sue Anne Reed

Childcare & Early Education Families & The Federal Budget Family Economic Security Food! Health Care Realistic & Fair Wages

12/09/19

It's the last month of the year, and of the decade. Wow. While time may go quickly, our movement to demand an economy that works for women and families will have lasting, enduring impact. And it's built by the individual actions of fired-up people like you. Please scroll down for our latest list of...