NWLC Applauds Introduction of the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act

(Washington, D.C.) Today, Representative Jan Schakowsky and Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the Part–Time Workers Bill of Rights—bold new legislation that will afford crucial protections to millions of part-time workers.  

Employers routinely exclude part-time workers from workplace benefits, pay them less than their full-time counterparts, and deny them the opportunity to move into more stable full-time positions. The Part–Time Workers Bill of Rights Act would put an end to these practices by expanding access to FMLA leave and employer-sponsored pensions, requiring employers to offer newly available hours to current part-time workers, and prohibiting discrimination in pay or on-the-job opportunities based solely on hours worked. 

The following is a statement by Emily Martin, Vice President for Education & Workplace Justice at the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC):  

“Part-time workers face significant obstacles in the workplace, including unstable and unpredictable work hours, unequal pay, and limited benefits. The majority of part-time workers are women, which means these harmful workplace practices compound the pay gap and make it harder for women—especially caregivers—to make ends meet. The Part-Time Workers Bill of Rights would extend benefits and protections to the part-time workforce that all working people deserve. Together with the Schedules That Work Act, Congress has an opportunity to promote an equitable workplace that allows working people and their families to thrive.”