News & Commentary

By Melissa Goodman and Zara Lockshin

The Los Angeles City Council is to be congratulated on passing an ordinance raising the minimum wage in the city to $15 by 2020. That historic action is an important step in achieving economic justice for so many workers who are forced to hold down two jobs or more and even then find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. A living wage is a basic economic right, and it is inextricably linked to the full exercise of civil rights and liberties. No one working a full-time job should be paid a wage that leaves them living in poverty.

By Melissa Goodman and Ariela Migdal

California created the nation's first paid family leave (PFL) program for workers more than a decade ago. The groundbreaking legislation has since helped many people meet their family caregiving obligations and bond with their children. But the system is flawed and needs a tune-up.California's system is unique because it allows workers to get paid time off to bond with a newborn or adopted child or care for sick family members (a child, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, sibling, grandparent or grandchild). Only two other states have PFL programs. In the rest of the nation parental and family leaves don't come with pay -– thanks in part to our country's sad distinction as the only developed nation without a national pai

By Lenora M. Lapidus, @LenoraLapidus

By Georgeanne M. Usova

By Melissa Goodman, @mg718 and Ariela Migdal, @ArielaMigdal

By: Maggie Crosby, ACLU of Northern California The California Department of Managed Health Care today clarified that health plans sold in the state must cover abortion.