A Better Balance is a legal advocacy organization dedicated to empowering individuals to meet the conflicting demands of work and family without sacrificing their economic security.    We are engaging government and the private sector to bring about systemic change.   Since 2005, we have been working to help people across the economic spectrum care for their families without losing their jobs or suffering other discrimination because of their family responsibilities.  Workers should not have to face impossible choices between earning a paycheck and caring for their loved ones.   Caring for family members should be valued as work. 

  "Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home"

A conversation with Author Pamela Stone and A Better Balance on  October 29th, 2008, 8:30am to 10:00am, Offices of Thompson Wigdor & Gilly LLP, 85 5th Avenue, 5th Floor.  Join us for a lively discussion about juggling work and family and learn about exciting public policy developments.   We look forward to discussing our current work and opportunities for your support. 

RSVP to Lauren Manister at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or at 212-257-6800. 

 We want to hear from you! 
Have you faced discrimination at work because of your family responsibilities?  Has your employer treated you differently from other employees because you have to take your elderly parents to the doctor?  Have you been threatened with firing or demotion because you asked for a more flexible schedule?  Have you experienced penalties or been excluded from opportunities at work because you work part-time or reduced hours?  We want to hear your story.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The New York City Council is considering a bill to make discrimination against caregivers in the workplace illegal under the City's civil rights law.   We are gathering stories from people like you to share with the Council to help them understand the seriousness of the problem and the need for legislation.   Please send us your story at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   If you prefer not to share your name, you don't have to, but if you would be interested in talking with council members or testifying at a public hearing on the bill, please let us know, and, in that case, be sure to include your contact information!                                                                                                                                                                                                  

      New Poll Results: American Workers Overwhelmingly Support Paid Sick Days                                                                                                                                                                                 According to a new survey by the National Opinion Research Center, more than three-quarters of workers polled view paid sick days as a basic right of employment that should be guaranteed by government.   Read the full survey report here.                                                                                                                                   

What we've been working on:

- Blog post about Governor Palin and work/family balance (MomsRising.org, September 26, 2008).  Click here to read commentary by ABB's Phoebe Taubman.

- Peaceful Revolution Blog Post (Huffington Post, August 13, 2008).  Click here to read commentary by ABB's Phoebe Taubman.

- Seeking A Just Balance: Law Students Weigh In On Work and Family (June 2008).  Click here to read our report and here to read our op-ed in the National Lw Journal. 

- Paid Sick Leave (Sloan Work and Family Network News, May 2008).  Click here to read an interview with ABB's Sherry Leiwant. 

- Equal Pay for Mother's Day (Forbes.com May 8, 2008).  Click here to read commentary by ABB's Dina Bakst.

- New York City Council hearing on Fair Pay legislation (April 17, 2008).  ABB testimony on the motherhood wage gap.  Click here.

 - Op-ed for paid family leave in New York (El Diario March 14, 2008),  co-authored by A Better Balance and Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer.  Click here to read the op-ed in Spanish.

-  The U.S. Department of Labor proposed changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act regulations.  On April 10, 2008, ABB submitted comments.   Read them here.

 -  Model legislation for advocates interested in launching a paid sick days campaign, as drafted by ABB and the National Partnership for Women and Families, with technical assistance from the San Francisco Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement.  For more information, please contact ABB's  Sherry Leiwant ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 212-749-4042) or the National Partnership's Sharyn Tejani ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 202-986-2600).  

-  "A Working Balance: Supporting New York City's Families Through Paid Leave"  report, co-authored by ABB and the Office of Manhattan Borough President, Scott M. Stringer.   The report is based on the comments of focus group participants, whom we convened to help us understand  the role of, and need for, paid family leave and paid sick leave in New York City.  It includes stories from employees about the stress they endure when they are unable to miss work to care for an ill family member, recover from serious illness, or go to a meeting at their children's school. 

 News and Events:  

 Milwaukeeans will vote on November 4th on a binding resolution that would  guarantee paid sick time to workers in the city.  Learn more here. 

On November 20, 2008, ABB's Sherry Leiwant and Nancy Rankin will participate in a panel discussion on paid sick days at the New York Society for Ethical Culture.