Equal Rights Advocates is a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting and expanding economic and educational access and opportunities for women and girls.

Until equality is secured for all

Real progress has been made in recent decades toward securing equal rights for women. But women and girls continue to face unfair practices and policies in many workplaces and schools. Women in minimum wage jobs, women of color, and immigrant women are often among the most affected by this discrimination, which comes in many forms. Women are denied equal rights when they are:

  • Paid less than men for the same or comparable work
  • Denied promotions and training opportunities
  • Shut out of high paying jobs and occupations
  • Subjected to sexual harassment
  • Penalized for taking time off to care for their families

ERA works to eliminate these forms of gender discrimination so all women can realize their full potential.

Announcing ERA’s Groundbreaking Pregnancy Accommodation Report: “Expecting a Baby, Not a Lay-Off: Why Federal Law Should Require the Reasonable Accommodation of Pregnant Workers”

On May 8, 2012, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) was introduced by U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Susan Davis (D-CA), and other legislators. ERA is a part of a broad coalition of unions and advocacy groups supporting this new legislation, which will require employers to provide pregnant workers with reasonable accommodations to enable them to continue working during a financially crucial time in their lives. See the full Press Release (with Report’s key findings) here.

Today ERA releases a ground-breaking report to highlight the importance of the new law for working women and their families: Expecting a Baby, Not a Lay-Off: Why Federal Law Should Require the Reasonable Accommodation of Pregnant Workers. The report draws on the data of 12 years of success of similar legislation in California, as well as the personal stories of ERA's clients.

The full Report is available here.

Join the Equal Rights Advocates Team!

ERA is an exciting legal advocacy agency and civil rights non-profit that fights for women, girls and their families.

Operations Manager: Available Immediately

The Operations Manager is responsible for providing administrative, operational, and program support for the Executive Director. Includes communicating with the Executive Board, managing office operations, coordinating with vendors, assisting with communications/development/finance, coordination of ERA events, providing oversight of program assistant and interns, drafting correspondence and communicating with clients and public, scheduling and making travel arrangements, performing web based research, data entry, and other administrative duties as assigned.
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Part-Time Communications Manager

Communications Manager will be responsible for maintaining a strong and ongoing ERA presence in traditional and electronic media; ensuring that ERA’s publications and other products are strategically disseminated to the media, advocates, policymakers and others, and responding to inquiries from the media and the general public.
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ERA Announces Appointment of Prominent Civil Rights Litigator Noreen Farrell to Permanent Executive Director Post

San Francisco, CA, April 17, 2012—Equal Rights Advocates, the preeminent West Coast public interest organization representing the rights of women and girls, has named Noreen Farrell the organization’s new Executive Director.

See the full press release here.

Learm more about the event here >>

ERA's Education Equity Special Report

  • Seeking Gender Equality in the Silicon Valley
  • Women in Sports Series: U.S. Olympian Erin Cafaro
  • Giving Girls a Voice: A Fresh Perspective on Gender Equity
  • ERA Takes on Discrimination in Academia
  • Women In Sports Equity(WISE) Fund Application Opens to UC Davis Athletes
  • Countdown to 2012 Luncheon and Title IX Birthday Bash with Julie Foudy!

Download the special report here >>

ERA's April 2012 Newsletter

  • ERA Rolls Up Its Sleeves on Equal Pay Day: Our Work Is Not Done
  • Working Families Campaign
  • Marginalized Women Worker Campaign
  • Education Equity Campaign

Download your copy here >>

Parties Announce Settlement of U.C. Davis Title IX Athletics Discrimination Suit Brought by Women Wrestlers

Click here for more information on the Title IX win!  

ERA SPECIAL REPORT: Education Equity Campaign Kicks off Great Year

  • Celebrating Women and Girls in Sports
  • Ending School Harassment and Bullying
  • Demanding Equal Pay for and Fair Treatment of Educators and Coaches
  • Empowering Girls in STEM and Other Male Dominated Fields

Click here for full Special Report

LATEST UPDATES ON ERA’S ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS AND LITIGATION

EDUCATION EQUITY

Title IX Victory For Female Wrestlers Against University of California

ERA Asks Federal Agency To Review Penn State Sexual Abuse Complaints

MARGINALIZED WOMEN WORKERS

Justice for Female Retail Workers: Dukes v. Wal-Mart

ERA and Co-Counsel File Amended California Action

Versión en Español

Filing Deadlines for Former Class Members Across Country

Video: Dukes Plaintiffs March to Justice

WORKING FAMILIES

ERA Celebrates New Law Providing Continued Health Insurance Coverage to Pregnant Workers

Expand the Definition of “Family” in the California Family Rights Act:
Support AB 2039

AB 2039 Fact Sheet

Download the AB 2039 sample letter of support here >

Remove Unfair Barriers to Employment:
Support SB 1378

SP 1378 Fact Sheet

Send a Letter in Support. Download the template letter here >>

End Workplace Discrimination

Article

AB 1999 Fact Sheet

Send a Letter in Support.
Download the sample letter here >

 

SEE ERA’s LATEST BLOGS AND MEDIA MENTIONS:

Advice and Counseling Hotline

Free, discreet, individualized advice is available if you are facing:

  • Sex discrimination
  • Sexual harassment at work or at school
  • Pregnancy discrimination
  • Problems with family/medical leave

If you have a question about your legal rights, call the Hotline, or review ERA’s Know Your Rights brochures for information on the legal aspects of your situation.

UC Davis WISE Fund Application

Deadline: July 2, 2012

Women in Sports Equity (WISE) Fund is accepting applications. Grants will be awarded to female club athletes and teams at UC Davis who seek support to develop women athletes.

The fund is a key term negotiated in the settlement of Brust v. Regents, a Title IX case brought against UC Davis on behalf of a class of current female athletes by ERA, The Sturdevant Law Firm and Equity Legal.

Download the 2012-2013 WISE Application >>

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