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The Ten-Hour Law was passed in Massachusetts in the year 1847. It limited the workday for women and children under 18 to 10 hours. It did not guarantee a 10-hour day but instead it required consent for longer hours. Employers could still ask workers to stay longer if they agreed, which lead to a lot of immoral convincing. -
The abolition of slavery in the United States legally ended the system of enslaving Black people, primarily in the southern states, who were forced to work without pay, freedom, or basic human rights. The abolition freed nearly 4 million enslaved African Americans.
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/lincoln-speech-slavery-and-american-dream-1858 -
The 16th amendment legally granted women the right to vote in all U.S. elections of any kind.
This law applied nationwide, though many women of color were still blocked from voting through racial voting laws.
https://youtu.be/nfe1SYZNhRc?si=j2lFQU8vPdyTQ2KN -
The Women’s Trade Union League was the first national association of women workers in the United States. Its purpose was to support working-class women in forming unions.This would help women fight for things such as better wages, safer work environments, and labor reforms like the 8-hour workday and an end to child labor. -
With many men overseas fighting in WWII, women took over factory jobs previously occupied by men. This ended up being a very big proof of capability and a significant step in workplace equality. -
Title IX banned gender based discrimination in education. It gave women equal opportunity for enrollment, scholarships, and access to certain majors. It also began the introduction to women in collegiate sports. -
In 1963 women were earning 59 to 60 cents for every dollar men made, even when doing the same job. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 is a federal law in the United States that requires employers to pay men and women equally when they are doing the same work in the same workplace. It was one of the first major pieces of legislation aimed at addressing gender-based wage discrimination. -
Title VII is a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including federal, state, and local governments, private companies, labor unions, and employment agencies. This was a major step for all women, especially those of color who could be discriminated against for multiple reasons. -
In 1980, the EEOC, which is the federal agency that enforces civil rights in the workplace, officially defined sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It explained that any unwanted sexual gestures fall under the category of unequal and discriminatory treatment based on gender. -
The family and medical leave act was designed to help employees balance work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take reasonable leave for certain medical and family reasons. It applies to public agencies, public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees. In most cases the employee must have worked for the employer for 12 months, accumulating at least 1250 hours in those 12 months to be eligible. -
Though the term "me too" was coined by activists in 2006, the #metoo movement really gained popularity in 2017. This spike in popularity came when actress Alyssa Milano encouraged people to tweet the phrase "#metoo" if they had ever been victims of sexual assault or harassment, the intentions were that everyones social media feeds would be flooded with the phrase, showing people how common sexual assault really is. https://youtu.be/u1Rb7TGgsp4?si=XUifxezNEt6k1Mam