“Mama…” said the small five year old voice from the backseat, “Mama, do you love Boppi more than me?” I was headed to the airport to fly to Omaha − again. It was the fall that Coleman was starting kindergarten, and it was a bumpy ride − the kind of time when you just need your mom. I fought back tears and tried to fill the space with words about love being really big − big enough for everyone, not about less for my baby than for my father. But to my five year old I was simply leaving − again.

The “gig economy,” the “on-demand economy,” the “sharing economy,” the “coordination economy,” the “digital matching economy”— whatever term we use, there’s a lot of talk about rapid technology-enabled changes in the nature of work. Spoiler alert: Will all of our jobs be replaced by apps? Unlikely. But we are living in an increasingly connected world, with incredible new tools and opportunities, commerce transacted on digital platforms and many of us dependent on the labor of a fragmented and transitory workforce. To be sure, the growth of new-model companies presents both challenges and opportunities for many American workers that we need to take seriously.

Before I was even born, a brave astronomer with the Army Map Service was fighting for equality for himself and other LGBT workers. Fired from his job in 1957 simply because he was gay, Frank Kameny sued the United States government. He was not victorious, but he did not give up. He protested outside the White House, he formed organizations, and he proudly displayed his “Gay is Good” signs and buttons.

Terrence Wise reports at 7 a.m. for the breakfast shift at McDonalds. He serves biscuits and burritos, preps and works lunch, clocks out at 3 p.m., then takes two buses to get across town to start his shift at Burger King. He is 35 years old.

When I ask why he is part of the “Fight for $15” – a growing movement to give fast food workers the wages, benefits, and representation that will put them on the path to the middle-class – he talks about his three children and the better life he wants to make for them. Terrence is clear:

It’s not just the higher wage he’s fighting for; it’s a union, too.

Only about 12 percent of private sector workers have access to paid leave through their employers. For the millions of working moms without paid leave for childbirth or to bond with an adopted child, that may mean dropping out of the workforce. That can have major consequences on our economic security.

At a time of unparalleled inequality and labor-management hostility in the early 20th century, few would have predicted that the rail car company built by George Pullman — someone intractably opposed to worker self-determination — would ultimately negotiate with an African-American labor organizer and “agitator” like Randolph. And yet, ultimately, the model town built by Pullman for his workers went from being an epicenter of strife to a model for industrial peace and democratic values. It speaks to the surprising potential for redemption when bitter adversaries are able to forge new partnerships and identify mutual self-interest.

We must “make sure that we give workers the capacity to make their voices heard; to have some influence in the workplace, to make sure they’re partners in building up the US economy, and that growth is broad based and that everybody is benefiting just as everybody is contributing…” – President Obama on sustaining the recovery and helping the middle class

Professor Ton launched her research by looking for ways to increase efficiency in operations and to improve businesses’ competitiveness. What she found flew in the face of what is sometimes considered conventional wisdom in today’s global marketplace: The days of good jobs are over, especially for low-cost retailers, who often seem to rely on low wages and just-in-time scheduling. Dr. Ton was surprised in discovering example after example of some of the most successful retailers making a very different choice.

Many of us may be familiar with the Costco story. They pay a living wage, they promote from within and benefit from incredible employee retention and loyalty, and their sales per employee are almost double those of their main competitors. But Professor Ton has found that this strategy is not unique to Costco and its segment of the retail industry.

Twenty years ago, Congress enacted into law a simple and fundamental principle: workers should not have to choose between the job they need, and the family members they love and who need their care. The Family and Medical Leave Act allows covered workers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain scenarios, such as a serious health condition; to bond with a newborn, newly adopted or newly placed child; or to care for a seriously ill child, spouse or parent.

But what happens to workers when employers do not comply with the FMLA? Imagine you are at home recovering from surgery when you learn that your company has been sold and the new owners have fired you, ending your health care benefits. This nightmare scenario happened to a worker in Arizona named Peter (whose last name is being withheld for privacy reasons).

On National Coming Out Day, Saturday, October 11, we reflect on the courage it takes to come out to our friends and our families, and we celebrate the power of that act. For so many LGBT people, this is a pivotal moment in our lives, a moment when we finally shake off the burden of fear and start living our lives and pursuing happiness on our own terms. Coming out has a ripple effect because it changes the way individuals, and then communities and, ultimately, whole societies perceive us. Harvey Milk used to urge workers to come out, to “stand up and let the world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight,” he would say, “than anybody would imagine…. Only that way will we start to achieve our rights.”

I am a lesbian, and I work at the Department of Labor – and it’s no big deal. I work hard, my colleagues value my contributions, and I can share my experiences openly as a gay mom. Some days this means I bring a different perspective to the table, some days it doesn’t make much of a difference, but it’s always welcome.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been traveling around the country listening to workers who are paid at or near the minimum wage. Their stories about trying to make ends meet − and having to make choices between putting food on the table for their kids or filling up the gas tank so they can get to work − are truly moving. Many of them hold multiple jobs, take the third shift, or simply work as many hours as they possibly can just to earn a few more dollars.

The bottom line is that for minimum wage employees, every dollar counts. So, it’s especially important for employers of low-wage workers to take their legal obligations seriously. If they are operating outside the law, then they must be made accountable for paying all workers who were shorted and for ensuring that similar violations do not occur in the future.