Legal Briefs & Testimony

Amicus Brief: Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin

August 15, 2012

The National Women’s Law Center filed an amicus brief in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin.  NWLC argued in support of UT Austin’s policy, explaining that racial diversity in higher education is important to women, and especially women of color, because this diversity breaks down stereotypes that feed and perpetuate inequality, including intertwined race and gender stereotypes.  Read our Amicus Brief for the case, which will go in front of the Supreme Court in late 2012.

Testimony of Joan Entmacher Before the Senate Special Committee on Aging on Strengthening Social Security and SSI to Improve Women’s Retirement Security

July 25, 2012

Vice-President of Family Economic Security Joan Entmacher testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging on strengthening Social Security and SSI to impove women's retirement security.

Letter to Congress: Co-Sponsor and Support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

May 08, 2012

Over 100 organizations have joined NWLC in defending the rights of pregnant workers and asking members of Congress to co-sponsor and support the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act!  You can send this letter to your Representative or Senator to get them to sign on to or vote for this legislation.

NWLC Testimony re: OFCCP Enforcement Actions

April 18, 2012

OFCCP administers and enforces the civil rights of all those employed by federal contractors and subcontractors, covering approximately one-fourth of the civilian workforce. The key role that OFCCP has played in improving economic security for workers and their families cannot be overstated.

NWLC Testimony re: Pregnancy and Caregiver Discrimination to the EEOC

March 08, 2012

This testimony outlines the barriers that pregnant and caregiving women continue to face in the workplace, demonstrating that this discrimination functions to exclude women from many high-wage and high-demand jobs that can be critical to achieving economic security.  It concludes by making recommendations to address these barriers and advance the rights of working women.  The supplemental testimony responds to questions posed by Commissioners at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Letter to President Obama in Support of Student Non-Discrimination Act

March 07, 2012

The National Women’s Law Center was one of seventy civil rights, education, labor, and faith groups that sent this letter to President Obama urging his administration to publicly support and endorse the Student Non-Discrimination Act (“SNDA”), which would prohibit discrimination and harassment in K-12 public schools on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.  

Comments on Proposed Revenue Procedure Regarding Criteria for Innocent Spouse Equitable Relief Determinations

February 10, 2012

The National Women's Law Center submitted comments supporting revised Internal Revenue Service procedures for determining when innocent spouse relief is granted under Internal Revenue Code section 6015(f).  The new procedures will facilitate the requests of low-income women, particularly those who have been victims of spousal abuse. 

Proposed Rulemaking, Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to Domestic Service Rule (RIN 1232-AA05)

February 09, 2012

The National Women's Law Center submitted comments to the Department of Labor in support of a proposed rule that would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations to extend basic labor protections – minimum wage and overtime premium pay – to nearly 1.8 million low-wage home care workers.

NWLC Letter to Dept. of Education re: Sexual Harassment

February 08, 2012

The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) supports the April 4, 2011 comprehensive guidance put out by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to help schools, colleges, and universities more effectively prevent and respond to sexual harassment and violence on their campuses, as required by Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded schools.  NWLC especially welcomes OCR’s emphasis on prevention and its provision of specific procedures and remedies schools should use to combat this very serious problem, including OCR’s recognition that Title IX requires schools to use the preponderance of the evidence standard of proof for sexual harassment investigations.

Amicus Brief: Department of Health and Human Services, et al., v. State of Florida, et al.

January 13, 2012

The National Women’s Law Center's “friend of the court” brief is on behalf of 60 organizations in United States Department of Health and Human Services, et al v. State of Florida, et al. The brief explains what’s at stake for women in the challenge to the new health care law and why the ACA, in correcting fundamental gender inequities in the health insurance and health care markets, is an appropriate exercise of federal Commerce Clause authority and therefore is constitutional.