Molly
Weston Williamson
Senior Fellow
Raising Working Standards
Latest
A new North Star on paid leave from the North Star State
In the News
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A new North Star on paid leave from the North Star State
Molly Weston Williamson explains the national importance of Minnesota becoming the first state in the Midwest to guarantee paid leave.
Universal Paid Sick Time Would Strengthen Public Health and Benefit Businesses
Report
![Image showing a mother wearing a visor as she holds a child, who has a face mask on.]()
Universal Paid Sick Time Would Strengthen Public Health and Benefit Businesses
A national, guaranteed right to paid sick time is essential for the well-being of workers and their families and would have profound positive impacts on public health and businesses.
Unions Build Wealth for the American Working Class
Report
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Unions Build Wealth for the American Working Class
Union membership not only increases wealth for working-class families but also narrows racial wealth gaps and offers a path to the middle class.
What Policymakers Need To Know About Today’s Working Class
Report
![Photo shows a server wearing a mask clearing a white table outside with trees in the courtyard]()
What Policymakers Need To Know About Today’s Working Class
The working class works primarily in service-sector jobs and is more racially and ethnically diverse than ever.
3 Ways States Can Expand and Sustain the Infrastructure Workforce by Meeting Child Care Needs
Report
![Children participate in activities at a Head Start classroom in Maryland.]()
3 Ways States Can Expand and Sustain the Infrastructure Workforce by Meeting Child Care Needs
To improve recruitment, training, and retention in the construction industry, states should utilize infrastructure funds to address workers’ child care needs.
How States and Unions Can Partner To Build the Public Sector Workforce
Report
![Photo shows a woman in the foreground helping students working on a project with books on their desk, as a second woman, the teacher, looks on.]()
How States and Unions Can Partner To Build the Public Sector Workforce
Partnering with unions to train public sector workers helps states uphold high-quality standards; connect with and recruit from local communities; and address the nation’s public sector hiring challenges.
Airport Service Workers Deserve Good Jobs
Report
![Photo shows a woman cleaning a moving walkway in an airport concourse.]()
Airport Service Workers Deserve Good Jobs
Raising pay and benefits for workers in federally supported airports will stabilize the air industry.
How To Support Good Jobs and Workforce Equity on Federal Infrastructure Projects
Report
![A welder works on an overpass in Irving, Texas.]()
How To Support Good Jobs and Workforce Equity on Federal Infrastructure Projects
As funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act flow through federal and state project owners, agencies must build long-lasting capacity to provide equitable access to high-quality jobs.
Setting Sectoral Standards in the U.S. and the World
Past Event
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Setting Sectoral Standards in the U.S. and the World
Please join the Center for American Progress and a panel of esteemed experts for a discussion on sectoral bargaining.
The Family and Medical Leave Act at 30: Spotlight on Restaurant Workers
Fact Sheet
![A waitress disinfects a table in a Stillwater, Oklahoma, restaurant.]()
The Family and Medical Leave Act at 30: Spotlight on Restaurant Workers
Thirty years after the signing of the Family and Medical Leave Act, most restaurant workers still aren’t covered.
5 Facts About the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act
Article
![Photo shows a woman bottle-feeding her baby in a baby carrier on the table.]()
5 Facts About the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act
The PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act provides critical protections for women who choose to breastfeed in the workplace and expands protections in the 2010 Break Time for Nursing Mothers Act.
Voluntary Recognition of Unions Is Increasingly Popular Among U.S. Employers
Article
![Photo shows a protestor next to cars in the street. The protestor is holding a cardboard sign that says]()
Voluntary Recognition of Unions Is Increasingly Popular Among U.S. Employers
From minor league baseball to Microsoft, businesses in a range of industries are respecting their workers' right to come together in unions.
Related Priorities
Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice
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Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice
We pursue climate action that meets the crisis’s urgency, creates good-quality jobs, benefits disadvantaged communities, and restores U.S. credibility on the global stage.
Strengthening Health
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Strengthening Health
We work to strengthen public health systems and improve health care coverage, access, and affordability.
Building an Economy for All
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Building an Economy for All
Economic growth must be built on the foundation of a strong and secure middle class so that all Americans benefit from growth.