Women, Know Your Rights at Work!

In many workplaces, women and other marginalized groups, face gender discrimination from employers who don’t know or choose not to follow laws that protect workers. This is especially true for low-wage and high-risk jobs, like domestic, janitorial, or hospitality work.

People with these jobs are often discriminated against or harassed, not paid fairly, or forced to choose between working or caring for their loved ones. In many cases, employees do not speak up because they fear retaliation from their employer. These unjust pressures and situations impact their well-being, their family’s well-being, and their economic stability.

CUP worked with Legal Momentum and designer Vic Liu to create a fold-out poster in English and Spanish called Women, Know Your RightsThe guide breaks down New Yorkers rights in the workplace, around safety, fair pay, and discrimination, and protections they have, specifically against gender-based discrimination.

The guide illustrates how women can change their circumstances by knowing and advocating for their rights and the power of organizing with workers across other industries. With this information, workers most impacted by exploitative employers, will be able to identify unlawful decisions and behaviors, reach out for support, and ultimately change harmful situations at work.

Legal Momentum is distributing the guide in New York State to organizations that work to protect and serve the workplace rights of women.

Resources & Links

Legal Momentum, The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund is a national civil rights organization that uses the power of the law to advance gender equality. Legal Momentum provides free legal guidance and referrals on a range of issues including your rights at work.

Vic Liu wants to use design to make the world a more empathetic and understanding place. She believes in the magic of graphic design in distilling complex information and emotions.

Making Policy Public is a program of the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP). CUP partners with policy advocates and graphic designers to produce foldout posters that explain complicated policy issues, like this one.

Funding Support

Support for this project was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Special Thanks

Guadalupe Paleta, Magdalena Mejia, Lizbeth Huitzil-Paleta, Reyna TeĢllez, Jade Jones, Make the Road New York, and Emily Waters.

Participants

CUP

Amanda Finuccio
Siyona Ravi

      Legal Momentum

        Samantha Luce
        Seher Khawaja

      Designer

      Vic Liu