Who We Are

Our mission: We work to ensure all individuals can care for themselves and their loved ones—without sacrificing their paycheck.

A Better Balance is the leading national nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to promoting justice in the workplace, especially for women, caregivers, and people with health needs of their own. We work across every level of government to pass and enforce policies that combat poverty, advance racial and gender equity, and ensure all workers can care for themselves, their children, and their loved ones. This includes paid family and medical leave, paid sick time, pregnancy accommodations, fair scheduling and attendance laws, and more.

Glaring gaps in the laws that govern our workplaces mean that individuals in low-wage and hourly jobs are routinely discriminated against, denied support, and fired or forced to leave their jobs during life’s defining moments, like the birth of a child or a cancer diagnosis. This can snowball into lasting financial insecurity. The brunt of this issue falls on Black and Brown women, as well as other historically marginalized groups like LGBTQ+ families and immigrants. By centering the needs of communities that have long been under-served and under-protected, we are building a robust safety net of supportive workplace policies for all while advancing gender, racial, and economic justice. And by changing the law, we are changing the culture—creating a society where care is valued and families are allowed to thrive. 

Founded in 2005, A Better Balance has a long track record of investing deeply in state and local work, improving the lives of millions of families while also paving the way to federal progress. With offices in New York, Tennessee, Colorado, and D.C, we are locally grounded, regionally networked, and have strong relationships at the national level. We work to systematically create change for all, while being attuned to uniquely local needs, challenges, and opportunities.

A Better Balance led the way to passage of the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. We’ve passed pregnancy accommodations laws in 27 states, paid family and medical leave programs in 14 states, and paid sick time laws in 19 states and dozens of localities. In total, we have won new workplace rights that protect the lives and livelihoods of 100 million individuals, defending those laws against legal attacks in the courts and working with agencies to implement and enforce the laws. We have successfully won cases against large employers like Walmart and Amazon, securing relief for workers whose rights have been violated.

A Better Balance’s work is grounded in the direct experiences of individuals. Our free, confidential legal helpline is a vital resource for workers in understanding and exercising their rights as they care for themselves and their loved ones. Workers can reach us at 1-833-NEED-ABB or www.abetterbalance.org/get-help.