Under the Bus: How Working Women Are Being Run Over Paperback – September 6, 2016

In this very timely book, the author addresses how many worker protection laws leave out a significant portion of the workforce. The book interweaves statistics and legislative history with real-life stories, which makes it easy to follow and enjoyable to read, even though the subject matter is often heart-wrenching. Anyone who has spent time working in the service industry will recognize the stories of just-in-time scheduling or the hour games played by corporations. Ms. Fredrickson's research on maternity leave and child care points out one of our country's biggest failings; the government provides little security for women to keep up in the workplace and provide good care for their children, despite platitudes celebrating women and mothers. Ms. Fredrickson meticulously documents many real-life stories and the depressing state of our protection laws and acknowledges what's we're up against (companies with seemingly unlimited resources and lobbying power). But, she also eloquently sets forth a path that our country could take to protect and invest in the workers left behind. I particularly like the proposal that it may be time to cut the employment requirement out of the equation for these critical rights. The way protections exist now, so many employed people are carved out and left under the bus.

This book is an eye-opening look at the many legal protections that don't extend to a large number of American women, especially low-income women, who are disproportionately women of color. Fredrickson expertly dissects civil rights and labor statutes to show how women were thrown under the bus in an effort to get critical rights in place for others. Using personal stories to illustrate the implications of laws--or in some cases the *lack* of laws--she paints a picture that is clear and persuasive. As an attorney who has worked in the progressive policy arena, I thought I knew the scope of most of these issues. But I didn't. I have a much better understanding after reading Under the Bus, and I'm motivated to try to help remedy the many holes in our system through which women, and therefore families, fall.

I have been stuck under a bus for 5 months now, and I thought this book would be helpful, or at least relevent to my situation. But it turns out it has nothing to do with being crushed under the weight of a city bus, unable to escape, with nothing to eat, and noone to talk to, and oh god im so hungry please somebody send help

I do know many families in N.Y that employ nannies and treat them very well. We have had a lot of family and in laws in the serving industry and they have done well. Do not dispute the seriousness of the shortcomings outlined in the book but sometimes anecdotal individual incidences of abuse paint a worse picture than the total population taken as a whole.

I loved this book. I learned so much about the mistreatment of working class women and how we got to this point in our legislative history. It’s extremely well written and a very smooth, easy read making it accessible to all. Our country is failing working class women and this book makes that hard to ignore!

Fredrickson emphasizes a crucial component of the working mother debate. "Under the Bus" provides an excellent historical and research-based explanation of workforce inequality. As oppose to the "Lean In" approach that requires working mothers to find the fault in themselves, this book shines a light on American workforce conditions that stagnate women's success. The reader will take away a deeper understanding of workplace inequality, which has been over-simplified in previous discussions.

the author knows the subject and writes well. she reveals aspects of government/business policy going back many years. an important book.

Excellent book