As we ring in the new year, WorkLife Law is celebrating a major milestone: the PUMP Act’s lactation protections now cover workers in nearly every industry. This fall, WorkLife Law helped secure a new provision closing the gap for Congressional employees. And, on December 29, 2025, the PUMP Act’s protections finally took effect for certain transportation workers who operate locomotives or motorcoaches.

2025 threw many curveballs at working families – and those of us fighting for their rights. But here’s what stayed true: connection matters, progress is possible, and the work we do together makes a real difference. We found significant moments of hope in this hard year – a worker who kept their job, a new protection signed into law, a community organizer equipped to help their neighbor apply for paid leave. These wins remind us why we do this work – and that we can still move the needle, even now.

November is National Family Caregivers Month— have you paused to honor and celebrate the caregivers in your life? More than 63 million Americans are now providing care for family members with disabilities or serious health conditions, a number that continues to grow. Whether caring for aging parents or supporting disabled children, family caregivers are the glue that holds our communities together!

WorkLife Law has trained over 100 community health workers in how to support farmworkers endangered by toxic chemicals during their pregnancy. One of those workers includes “Rosa,” who recently shared her story with an investigative reporter unveiling the dangers of pesticide exposure and how our volunteers and legal helpline are keeping pregnant workers safe.

For the first time, farmworkers in California’s Central Coast can access critical pregnancy and workplace rights information in their native languages– by simply listening. Roughly half of the region’s farmworkers have limited Spanish proficiency and speak primarily-oral Indigenous languages. These workers have long been underserved by traditional outreach efforts, and often struggle to learn about the legal protections they need to stay safe. WorkLife Law’s newest resource breaks these barriers by allowing workers to listen to their rights.

WorkLife Law is proud to have submitted comments opposing the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule, “Application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to Domestic Service.” This rule proposes stripping basic minimum wage and overtime protections from homecare workers – a critical segment of the workforce whose labor is already undercompensated yet is critical for the well-being of our children, people with disabilities, and older adults. The proposed rule perpetuates a long and troubling legacy of undervaluing care work necessary for our economy and communities to thrive.

WorkLife Law is excited to welcome two bright members to our team: Erin Lichtenstein as our Legal Extern and Westley Shaw as our Legal Service Funders Network Fellow. 

In our annual report, you’ll find a snapshot of WorkLife Law’s impact this year—victories won, partnerships forged, and lives transformed. We invite you to dive deeper into our work and discover how together we’re building a more just future for working families.

WorkLife Law condemns the recent immigration raids in Los Angeles and across the country. These actions are an inhumane violation of human rights that betray fundamental American values and directly undermine the work and family justice movement we champion.

On May 20th, Washington became the fifth state in the United States to enact paid lactation breaks– a major step toward health equity for postpartum workers. Starting in 2027, the landmark bill will also ensure that all pregnant and postpartum workers have an enforceable right to reasonable accommodations.