Women’s status varies across state lines–especially their legal protections. The state in which a woman lives determines her ability to file a workplace sexual harassment claim, her level of protection from an abusive partner, whether she can take paid time off for caregiving, and more. No state offers full legal protections of the set of women’s rights we identify as critical; six states offer none.
Laws should protect women from violence, provide economic opportunities, and afford access to reproductive healthcare. The US Index captures seven key legal protections. No state offers full legal protections of this set of women’s rights; six states offer none. Information for all 50 states and Washington, DC is available in the US Index report.
This graph highlights the number of legal protections of women’s rights in 7 key states. No state in the United States offers all 7 legal protections to women. The 7 indicators measured in this graph include, a.) Minimum Wage Set Above Low-Income Threshold, b.) All Workers Protected from Sexual Harassment, c.) Firearms Removed from Domestic Violence Abusers, d.) Mandated Paid Paternal Leave, e.) Unemployment Benefits for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence, f.) Equal Rights Amendment Ratified, g.) No Mandated In-Person Counseling Before Abortion. States represented in this graph include Oregon, Illinois, Maine, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Louisiana. Oregon is the only state that provides women with 6 legal protections and does not grant a.) Minimum Wage Set Above Low-Income Threshold. Illinois grants 5 legal protections and does not grant a.) Minimum Wage Set Above Low-Income Threshold or d.) Mandated Paid Paternal Leave. Maine grants women 4 legal protections and withholds c.) Firearms Removed from Domestic Violence Abusers, d.) Mandated Paid Paternal Leave, and e.) Unemployment Benefits for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence. Pennsylvania grants 3 legal protections and withholds a.) Minimum Wage Set Above Low-Income Threshold, b.) All Workers Protected from Sexual Harassment, d.) Mandated Paid Paternal Leave, and e.) Unemployment Benefits for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence. Oklahoma only grants 2 legal protections to women which are b.) All Workers Protected from Sexual Harassment and g.) No Mandated In-Person Counseling Before Abortion. Alabama only grants g.) No Mandated In-Person Counseling Before Abortion to women and withholds 6 legal protections. Lastly, Louisiana grants 0 legal protections to women.
Shortfalls in national legislation mean that women are at higher risk of violence and lack basic economic rights.
States that protect all workers from sexual harassment in the workplace, regardless of company size include Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington DC, and Maine.
States that mandate paid parental leave include Washington, Oregon, California, New York, Washington DC, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
States the set their minimum wage above the low-income threshold of twelve dollars an hour include Washington, California, Arizona, Colorado, Washington DC, Massachusetts, and Maine.
States that require the relinquishment of firearms from abusers subject to domestic violence protective orders include Oregon, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
States that allow women to have an abortion without state-mandated in-person counseling include Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
States that guarantee unemployment benefits to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking include Oregon, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, and Vermont.
States that ratify the Equal Rights Amendment include Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Hawaii, North Dakota, Kansas, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Georgia, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
Contact National Women's Law Center to learn more about women's legal protections.