Reports & Toolkits

Health Care Law Litigation

March 26, 2012

Opponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have brought various lawsuits claiming that Congress lacked authority to pass the ACA but it is well-settled that the Commerce Clause of the Constitution allows Congress to make laws addressing national economic problems. The ACA addresses a national breakdown in the health insurance market that has resulted in widespread denials of coverage, limited access to health care, and increased health care costs. By addressing the economic impacts of the discrimination that women face in the health insurance market, it also falls within a long tradition of civil rights laws falling well within Congress’s authority under the Commerce Clause.

A "Man"ufacturing Comeback: Men's and Women's Employment Gains and Losses in 2011

March 19, 2012

In 2011 manufacturing employment increased for the first time in more than a decade, with annual average employment rising by 205,000 jobs. Unfortunately, women did not share in these gains. In fact, between 2010 and 2011 men’s annual average employment in manufacturing increased by 230,000 jobs while women’s dropped by 25,000 jobs.

REPORT: Turning to Fairness: Insurance Discrimination Against Women Today and the Affordable Care Act

March 16, 2012

Through our research we have found that women are continuously charged more for health coverage simply because they are women, and individual market health plans often exclude coverage for services that only women need, like maternity coverage. The report provides an in-depth analysis of these inequalities and explains how the Affordable Care Act explicitly removes these discriminations by 2014.

Tipped Over the Edge: Gender Inequity in the Restaurant Industry

March 07, 2012

The National Women's Law Center contributed research to a report by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United about gender inequity in the restaurant industry and the inadequacy of the current $2.13 minimum cash wage for tipped employees.

A Count for Quality: Child Care Center Directors on Rating and Improvement Systems

February 23, 2012

This report discusses child care center directors’ perspectives on Quality Rating and Improvement Systems and offers recommendations for strengthening QRIS so that they are more effective in helping families access high-quality care.

Toolkit for Advocates

October 26, 2011

The toolkit for advocates includes outreach tips and tools to help families claim valuable tax credits.

State Child Care Assistance Policies Report Series

October 11, 2011

This nationwide annual analysis by the National Women's Law Center compares child care assistance policies from year to year and to and 2001 in four policy areas: income eligibility, waiting lists for assistance, copayment requirements and reimbursement rates for providers. Some states have made progress, but most states continue to be behind where they were in 2001.

Poverty Among Women and Families, 2000-2010: Extreme Poverty Reaches Record Level as Congress Faces Critical Choices

September 16, 2011

2010 marked the first full year of the recovery that began when the “Great Recession” officially ended in June 2009 but the latest Census Bureau data show that rates of poverty and extreme poverty rose in 2010, hitting women and families hardest. 

American Recovery & Reinvestment Act Resources

September 02, 2011

Fulfilling the Promise of 2014: Aligning and Simplifying Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment for Children and Parents

August 30, 2011

This brief, authored by Georgetown University Center for Children and National Women's Law Center, looks at current state efforts to align and simplify coverage for children and parents in Medicaid  and how the ACA moves states toward a more coordinated system of family-based coverage. As we examine these policies, it important to note that aligning policies and procedures is beneficial to states, as well as families. Simplified rules and requirements make it easier to communicate program information and to train eligibility workers, resulting in more consistent and accurate eligibility determinations. States that have maximized alignment and simplification policies not only ensure that eligible persons get and stay enrolled but also reduce the state’s administrative burden and costs, a high priority in the current fiscal environment. Finally, this brief makes suggestions on how states can transition toward ACA implementation and raises issues for further consideration.