working families (working mothers, working fathers, working parents)

We updated our National Database of Childcare Prices with data from 2019-2022 and found that U.S. families spend between 8.9% and 16.0% of their median income on full-day care for just one child.

Parents who have the feeling that child care gets more expensive every year aren’t imagining it.

Here are some of the ways the Department of Labor supports working families.

Two new reports shed light on the status of working women in America and the challenges they face.

Childcare expenses are too high for many American families – accounting for 8-19.3% of median family income per child.

Family-friendly flexible work policies can have great benefits, but not all workers have equal access.

Since COVID-19 became widespread in early 2020, mothers have experienced greater disruptions to their employment. Expanded access to paid family and medical leave, fair scheduling, improved compensation and greater investment in care infrastructure can help achieve a more equitable recovery.

The increase in job flexibilities and leave options during the pandemic made clear that in many cases, family-friendly work policies improve quality of life for workers while also allowing them to successfully perform their jobs.

This working mom’s bosses told her she was embarrassing the men in her office when she needed to express breastmilk. Then our Wage and Hour Division investigators stepped in.

During National Work and Family Month, we're highlighting Department of Labor resources all working families should know about.