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WOMEN SOLIDARITY USA - Changing Minds for Women Equality(TM)www.WOMENSOLIDARITYUSA.info Paycheck Justice Paycheck Justice Here are a couple books about Paycheck Justice: read, inform, react! To order, click on the book links to the right of this page.
A Single Woman
A movie about Jeannette Rankin, the very first U.S. Congresswoman! Office Managers DayThis Wednesday is Office Managers Day! June 10, 2009
Excerpts from http://www.apomonline.org/Day/office_managers_day.asp, 6/8/09: The Association of Professional Office Managers has established Office Managers Day™ as a day to recognize office managers and the importance of their contributions to the smooth operation of offices, business performance, and the morale of all office workers. Office managers are responsible for making sure their office runs smoothly so other workers can focus on company business. They establish office systems, policies, procedures, and greatly influence the atmosphere and environment that office workers experience every work day and which ultimately lead to improved business performance. Office managers work behind the scenes of an office and are really only noticed if something goes wrong. Office Managers Day is a day to recognize their hard work and dedication and to thank them. Office Managers Day will be observed each year on the second Wednesday in June. APOM encourages all offices to recognize their office management staff and will be publishing suggestions for educational and other award ideas. APOM also encourages businesses to advocate and promote Office Managers Day and to develop award ideas and programs for office managers.
News & Opinions: Women and RetirementFrom: http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/05/18/women-workers-less-likely-to-have-secure-retirement/print/, 6/1/09: Women Workers Less Likely to Have Secure Retirement Posted By James Parks On May 18, 2009 @ 9:00 am In Economy
[1] Women workers are less likely than men to have enough money to retire comfortably because they generally live longer than men and earn less on the job, according to a new report. It will take a three-pronged approach to help women have a [2] secure retirement, the report says: traditional [3] pensions, supplemental 401(k)-type [4] savings and [5] Social Security. “[6] Shattering the Retirement Glass Ceiling: Women Need a Three-Legged Stool,” released this month by the non-profit research group [7] National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS), found that because of her longer life expectancy, a woman with an annual income of $50,000 would need to save $1,000 more toward retirement every year than her male counterpart to have an equal retirement experience. Yet, more than 45 years after the Equal Pay Act was signed, women in the United States still earn only 78 cents for every dollar men earn—even with similar education, skills and experience—and African American and Hispanic women earn even less. The wage difference makes saving money more difficult for many women. Working women also have limited access to retirement plans through their employers. Men are nearly twice as likely as women to have retirement income from defined benefit plans. Click [6] here to read the report. “The retirement gender gap is alive and strong,” said Ilana Boivie , an NIRS policy analyst and author of the report.
One sure way to overcome the retirement gap is through union membership. A recent study by the [8] Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) found that for the years 2004-2007, union women were much more likely to have health insurance (75.4 percent) and a pension (75.8 percent) than women workers who were not in unions (50.9 percent for health insurance, 43 percent for pensions). The NIRS research also shows:
Under the Obama administration, progress already has been made in moving toward more [9] equal pay for women. President Barack Obama [10] signed the [11] Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law on Jan. 29 and established a White House Council on Women and Girls in March. The Council was created to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families. Article printed from AFL-CIO NOW BLOG: http://blog.aflcio.org URL to article: http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/05/18/women-workers-less-likely-to-have-secure-retirement/ URLs in this post: News & Opinions: Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)From: http://c4women.wordpress.com/2009/05/19/only-3-more-states/, 6/1/09:Only 3 more states… By c4women
It would only take 3 more states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. What great news right? But it appears that it may be harder to accomplish than getting the first 33! Check out this awesome piece that was in the Philadelphia Inquirer last month. ERA would end women’s second-class citizenship Carolyn Cook When our forefathers broke from Britain, they left nothing to chance. They put it in writing. In unified thought, spirit, and action, the Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 white, male landowners representing 13 colonies. Hardly reflective of America today, it formally challenged the notion of the “divine right of kings” and guaranteed wealthy men equal rights. The Declaration of Independence provides the rationale through which the U.S. Constitution is interpreted. Therefore, the Supreme Court renders its judgments based on a legal precedent established 239 years ago of equality among men only! With only one justice and one quarter of judges in state courts female, the odds are not in our favor. Furthermore, without the explicit wording and intention of women’s rights documented in the principles of our government, women remain second-class citizens until we unite and declare otherwise. Justice Antonin Scalia affirms this stark reality. “When a practice not explicitly prohibited by the text of the Bill of Rights bears the endorsement of a long tradition of open, widespread, and unchallenged use, that dates back to the beginning of the Republic, we have no proper basis for striking it down,” he wrote. More than two dozen amendments to the Constitution have granted critical civil and political rights. Steadily, our cultural landscape transformed from horrific human rights violations to electing the first Catholic and African American male presidents. Stunning triumphs, and yet our moral compass must not ignore the double standard that remains – gender discrimination. Without a uniform guarantee of equality across 50 states, there is no assurance of women’s progress. The stopgap of laws arbitrarily sprinkled throughout the states, subjectively interpreted by courts and subject to being overturned by a single vote, has failed us. Unwise “investors” bank on the security and protection of state laws, assuming these measures are sufficient. They build castles made of sand that the changing tides in legislatures can sweep away without a trace. Verbal, sexual, and physical assaults have become commonplace; advertising exploits our bodies and limits our self-concept; wage disparity and insufficient family support persist in employment; and caregivers are not yet eligible for Social Security. The omission of women in the U.S. Constitution has had far-reaching consequences for far too long. The time to take action is now. The Equal Rights Amendment updates America’s original social contract. It calls upon the U.S. government to modernize its structures, laws, and policies to reflect the progress and contributions of the other half of its taxpaying citizens. Just three more states are needed to ratify the ERA as the 28th Amendment. Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida (2009), and Virginia (2010) are attempting to officially declare men and women equal stakeholders in America’s future. With an economy to recover, international relations to mend, and corruption to end, all hands must be joined in this effort. ERA simply states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” The ERA invests in women’s social progress – offering them the dignity and respect they are entitled to as individuals and citizens of this democracy. It is high time our government declare gender discrimination unconstitutional as it has nobly done with race. With a uniform guarantee of equality upheld in all 50 states, women’s progress at home, at work, and in their communities will be measured and protected by the full extent of the law. This entry was posted on May 19, 2009 at 9:03 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
"Our current rights are limited to laws and amendments to laws that can be overturned in a legislative session or by executive order. Our rights are tentative at best and can turn on the dime of public opinion or a state legislature dominated by one ideology. It is time to bring women to the table with equal rights under the Constitution. It’s time, and that is what I thought about when I voted on Nov. 4. For more information go to http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/." Jennet Robinson Alterman is executive director of the Center for Women in Charleston, S.C. American Women, Contact your U.S. Legislators and let them know you want them to pass the Equal Rights Amendment! ~ WOMEN SOLIDARITY USA
From http://www.civilrights.org/archives/2009/03/183-era.html: Civil Rights History: Senate Passes the Equal Rights AmendmentMarch 20, 2009 - Posted by Isha Mehmood
This Sunday, March 22, is the anniversary of the U.S. Senate's passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a constitutional amendment that would have ensured equal rights could not be denied on the basis of gender.
Though the amendment was passed by Congress in 1972, it was not ratified by enough states by its July 1982 deadline. Amendments to the Constitution are proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both houses in Congress and then require ratification, or approval, by three-fourths of the states. The ERA was written by Alice Paul, a women's rights activist who was instrumental in the 1920 ratification of the 19th amendment, which guaranteed women's right to vote. The ERA was first introduced in Congress in 1923, and has been re-introduced in nearly every session of Congress since then. Alice Paul's home in Washington D.C. has been the headquarters of the National Women's Party for decades and also the Sewell-Belmont House and Museum, the only museum in the nation's capitol that focuses on women's struggle for full equality. The museum has a large collection of artifacts from the women's movement, including a searchable online database. It provides tours and is open to the public five days a week. Categories: Civil Rights History, Women's Rights First Lady Betty Ford From: http://www.answers.com/topic/which-first-lady-was-known-for-fighting-for-the-equal-rights-amendment, 6/1/09: First lady Elizabeth "Betty" Ford stepped into the office of first lady as an ardent feminist who spoke her mind on often controversial issues. In 1972, when the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed in the Senate, many women worked to try to get the required thirty-eight states to pass the amendment within the allotted seven years. After supporting ERA as the wife of a congressman, Betty Ford moved to the forefront of this movement when she became first lady in 1974. She gave speeches, contacted state legislators, and influenced her husband, President Gerald Ford, to proclaim "Woman's Equality Day" in support of the ERA. She was known for "working the phones"-calling state legislators from the White House to encourage them to vote for the amendment. She once said, "Being ladylike does not require silence." Although her husband did not share all her views, she voiced her opinion on a range of issues, from premarital sex to abortion. In November 1981, when the National Organization for Women (NOW) organized a series of rallies in support of the ERA, former first lady Betty Ford was among the notable speakers. Time ran out in 1982, and the ERA failed to become law. Books for New Grads! Here are some books to buy our New Grads!  (If interested in purchasing, please click on the corresponding link in the 'Books' panel to the right, to go to amazon.com. Thank you.)
The Girls' Guide to Power and Success by Susan Wilson Solovic
They Don't Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something's Guide to the Business World by Alexandra Levit
From B.A. to Payday: Launching Your Career After College by D. A. Hayden and Michael Wilder What is Mom Worth? Annual Mom Salary SurveyFrom www.Salary.com, 5/12/09:
Mom's Work Matters – The Many Jobs of a Mother's Day
Total Salary Breakdown
And don't forget the overtime! Stay-at-Home Mom: $122,732
Customize your mom's salary at: www.mom.salary.com
You can even print her a check!
From 2008:
From http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,354638,00.html, 9/30/08:Study: Stay-at-Home Mom Worth Nearly $117,000 a Year Thursday , May 08, 2008 BOSTON — If a stay-at-home mom could be compensated in dollars rather than personal satisfaction and unconditional love, she'd rake in a nifty sum of nearly $117,000 a year. That's according to a pre-Mother's Day study released Thursday by Salary.com, a Waltham, Mass.-based firm that studies workplace compensation. The eighth annual survey calculated a mom's market value by studying pay levels for 10 job titles with duties that a typical mom performs, ranging from housekeeper and day care center teacher to van driver, psychologist and chief executive officer. This year, the annual salary for a stay-at-home mom would be $116,805, while a working mom who also juggles an outside job would get $68,405 for her motherly duties. One stay-at-home mom said the six-figure salary sounds a little low. "I think a lot of people think we sit and home and have a lot of fun and don't do a lot of work," said Samantha Russell, a Fremont, N.H., mother who left her job as pastry chef to raise two boys, ages 2 and 4. "But they should try cleaning their house with little kids running around and messing it up right after them." The biggest driver of a mom's theoretical salary is the amount of overtime pay she'd receive for working more than 40 hours a week. The 18,000 moms surveyed about their typical week reported working 94.4 hours — meaning they'd be spending more than half their working hours on overtime. Working moms reported an average 54.6 hour "mom work week" besides the hours they spent at paying jobs. Russell agreed her job as a stay-at-home mom is more than full-time. But she said her "job" brings intangible benefits she wouldn't enjoy in the workplace. "The rewards aren't monetary, but it's a reward knowing that they're safe and happy," Russell said of her sons. "It's worth it all."
From www.salary.com, 9/28/07: Mom Deserves A Raise In 2007! Salary.com's™ Annual Valuation of Mom's Job Reveals That Stay-at-Home Mom's Salary is $138,095, a 3% Increase Over Last Year
NINE TO FIVE (9 TO 5) - "Workin' 9 to 5..."
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_to_Five, 5/2/09: The movie inspired a sitcom version which aired from 1982 to 1983 and from 1986 to 1988. The show, which aired on ABC (1982-83) and in first run syndication (1986-88), featured Parton's younger sister, Rachel Dennison, in Parton's role; Rita Moreno and Valerie Curtlin took over Tomlin and Fonda's roles, respectively. In the second version of the show, Sally Struthers replaced Moreno. A total of 85 episodes were filmed. From http://www.dollyon-line.com/archives/lyrics/9to5.shtml, 5/2/09: 9 To 5, by Dolly Parton
Chorus: Workin' nine to five Nine to five, for service and devotion They let your dream In the same boat with a lot of your friends 2nd Chorus: Workin' nine to five Nine to five, yeah 3rd Chorus: Nine to five Fade: Nine to five, yeah
They got you where they want you There's a better life And you dream about it, don't you? It's a rich man's game No matter what they call it And you spend your life Puttin' money in his wallet "  From the Desk of
9 to 5: National Association of Working Women
Established 1973
9to5 Director Joins Movie Cast in Hollywood March 30 for Anniversary Celebration
Linda Meric, executive director of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, will join Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, Dabney Coleman and producer Bruce Gilbert in Hollywood this Thursday to celebrate the Oscar®-nominated film as it arrives on a Special DVD with the Sexist, Egotistical, Lying, Hypocritical Bigot Edition. “I’m delighted to be able to share the story of how 9to5 inspired this movie,” Meric said, “and to update the public on how low-wage women are faring today.” Meric will walk the red carpet with the stars as Fox Home Entertainment transforms The Annex at the famed Hollywood & Highland Entertainment Complex (6801 Hollywood Blvd) into Consolidated Companies, Inc. The event begins at 7:00 P.M. and features a live musical performance by country music legend Dolly Parton at 8:00. 9to5 was founded by Karen Nussbaum and other office workers in Boston in 1973 to win “Raises, Rights and Respect.” Jane Fonda approached Nussbaum about creating a film that reflected the issues 9to5’s members were experiencing. To learn more, Fonda met dozens of members, who shared their stories of sexual harassment, inflexible schedules, inadequate child care and unequal pay. “We’re proud that 9to5 has helped win changes in both corporate and public policy to benefit working women and their families,” Meric said. “When the film appeared in 1980, workers had no real protection from sexual harassment, no job-guaranteed leave for family care. On-site child care was mostly a Hollywood invention. And women were earning three-fifths the pay of white men.” Meric pointed to a number of laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, that her organization helped win. “But progress is nowhere near what Judy, Violet and Doralee achieved in the movie,” Meric noted. “Our Job Survival Hotline (1-800-522-0925) fields thousands of calls on these same issues. We hear from women who aren’t covered by FMLA or can’t afford to take unpaid time. Three-quarters of low-wage workers have no paid sick days. Only a small percentage of employers offer on-site child care. Flexibility for low-wage workers is mostly non-existent.” “As for pay,” Meric said, “we’ve seen some narrowing of the gap – but much of that is due to loss of pay for men, especially men of color.” She pointed out that the movie ended with Mr. Tinsworthy, the fictional CEO of Consolidated Companies, Inc., whispering to Mr. Hart: “That equal pay thing, though – that has to go.” “That’s how we knew the movie was a comedy and not a fantasy,” Meric said. 9to5, a grassroots membership organization, has activists in every state who continue to work for economic justice. Equal Pay Day 2009- Raising Awareness for the Importance of Equal PayToday is Equal Pay Day! Wear Red to Show Your Support! Thinking Globally, Acting Locally!
Around the Web... http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-Equal-Pay-Day/, 4/28/09: THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary Harriet Beecher Stowe helped galvanize the abolitionist movement with her groundbreaking literature. Frances Perkins advised President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and led the Department of Labor during one of its most challenging periods in history. Barbara McClintock helped unlock the mysteries of genetics and earned a Nobel Prize. These and countless other women have broken barriers and changed the course of our history, allowing women and men who followed them the opportunity to reach greater heights. Despite these achievements, 46 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act and 233 years since our Nation was established with the principle of equal justice under law, women across America continue to experience discrimination in the form of pay inequity every day. Women in the United States earn only 78 cents for every dollar a man earns, and today marks the inauspicious occasion when a woman's earnings finally catch up with a man's from the previous year. On National Equal Pay Day, we underscore the importance of this issue to all Americans. If we wish to honor our Nation's highest ideals, we must end wage discrimination. The Founders established a timeless framework of rights for the American people. Generation after generation has worked and sacrificed so that this framework might be applied equally to all Americans. To honor these Americans and stay true to our founding ideals, we must carry forward this tradition and breathe life into these principles by supporting equal pay for men and women. Wage discrimination has a tangible and negative impact on women and families. When women receive less than their deserved compensation, they take home less for themselves and their loved ones. Utilities and groceries are more difficult to afford. Mortgages and rent bills are harder to pay. Children's higher education is less financially feasible. In later years of life, the retirement that many women have worked so hard for—and have earned—is not possible. This problem is particularly dire for women who are single and the sole supporters of their families. Women should not and need not endure these consequences. My Administration is working to advance pay equity in the United States. The first bill I signed into law as President, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, allows more women to challenge pay discrimination by extending the timeline within which complaints can be filed. This law advances the struggle for equal pay, but it is only an initial step. To continue this progress, I issued an Executive Order establishing the White House Council on Women and Girls. This high-level body, composed of Cabinet members and heads of sub-Cabinet agencies, is charged with advancing the rights and needs of women, including equal pay. Still, Government can only advance this issue so far. The collective action of businesses, community organizations, and individuals is necessary to ensure that every woman receives just treatment and compensation. We Americans must come together to ensure equal pay for both women and men by reminding ourselves of the basic principles that underlie our Nation's strength and unity, understanding the unnecessary sacrifices that pay inequity causes, and recalling the countless women leaders who have proven what women can achieve. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 28, 2009, as National Equal Pay Day. I call upon American men and women, and all employers, to acknowledge the injustice of wage discrimination and to commit themselves to equal pay for equal work. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third. BARACK OBAMA # # #
From http://speaker.house.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=1127, 5/5/09: Releases Contact:
Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami 202-226-7616 For Immediate Release
04/28/2009 Pelosi Statement on Equal Pay Day
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the year a woman must work, on average, to earn as much as a man earned the previous year: “On Equal Pay Day, we recognize the point in the year it takes a woman to make the same amount of money made by a man in the previous year. As families grapple with an uncertain economy, equal pay for equal work is about daily survival for millions. “This Congress has already taken action to strengthen economic security for women. We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help ensure gender equity in pay, and I was proud to join President Obama as he signed it into law. “The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act also invests in the economic strength of women. It includes a number of key provisions that are essential for women and children – such as significant tax cuts for working women, major investments in health care, child care and early education, creation of hundreds of thousands of green jobs where women have new opportunities, support for small business owners, and crucial new investments to prevent teacher layoffs and other education cuts in states across the country. In addition, the Joint Economic Committee held a hearing this morning on the GAO’s newly released report examining the gender pay gap in the federal government. “When a woman is not paid fairly, her entire family suffers. And when a woman is not paid fairly, it does not afford women the respect and equality that they deserve in a country that promises to strive for equal opportunity. The New Direction Congress will continue to put women and children first.” From http://dodd.senate.gov/?q=node/4944/print, 4/28/09: Equal Pay Day Marked by Progress & Need for Further Action to Close Wage GapApril 28, 2009
U.S. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn. -3) issued the following statement on Equal Pay Day, which falls on the number of additional days into 2009 that women have to work before earning what men earned in 2008. In January, President Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, an important step that restores the original intent of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The Act overturned the Supreme Court’s misguided decision in the case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber by clarifying that each paycheck resulting from a discriminatory pay decision would constitute a new violation of the law. However, legislation passed by the House at the same time as the Ledbetter bill, the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 12), has not yet been considered by the Senate. This legislation would strengthen the Equal Pay Act – closing loopholes that have allowed employers to avoid responsibility for discriminatory pay. “Equal Pay Day this year offers an opportunity to mark the progress we have made in our efforts to close the wage gap between men and women. The first piece of legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama took direct aim at gender discrimination. By enacting the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, we ensured that Americans would not lose their right to fight pay discrimination. It is a victory for women and families across the country – especially as families find it more and more difficult to make ends meet in this economy. “As we celebrate this achievement, however, we cannot rest on our laurels. We must renew our commitment to eliminating systemic gender discrimination once and for all. When the House passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, it also passed the Paycheck Fairness Act again. We are committed to moving this bill through the Senate. “Today, under the Equal Pay Act, employers have succeeded in blaming pay discrimination on market forces and prior salaries, even if those original factors have proven just as discriminatory. Moreover, remedies under the Equal Pay Act are limited to just twice a plaintiff’s salary. As a result, damages are rarely high enough to act as a deterrent to employers or allow victims to pursue justice. “We must begin by giving teeth to current law, close numerous loopholes in the 45-year old law and strengthen penalties for employers who discriminate based on gender. “We must also protect employees from retaliation for sharing salary information with their co-workers. And we should create initiatives to provide negotiation skills training programs for girls and women. Just because gender-based pay discrimination is illegal does not mean it is no longer a significant problem. “We must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and send it President Obama for his signature.” ### From http://harkin.senate.gov/pr/p.cfm?i=312066, 5/509:News April 28, 2009Harkin Continues Fights For Pay Equity; Reintroduces Fair Pay ActWashington, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today introduced the Fair Pay Act of 2009 to address the wage gap for jobs of equal value among men and women. This legislation would address the historic pattern of undervaluing and underpaying so-called "women's" jobs, by calling for similar wages for similar working conditions regardless of gender. “In this day in age, there is no such thing as ‘women’s work’ or ‘men’s work,” said Harkin. “In nearly 10 million American households, the mother is the only breadwinner. These families have the same struggles to pay the rent or make mortgage payments, buy the groceries, cover the medical bills and save for a child's education. In these tough economic times, we need to simply make sure an honest day’s work is rewarded. We must end wage discrimination and on Equal Pay Day, we can start by closing the pay gap and simply paying women fairly.” More than 40 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women's wages still lag behind their male counterparts' wages - women make only 78 cents for every dollar that a man makes. The average woman loses an estimated $700,000 over her lifetime due to unequal pay practices. These wages are more disproportionate for minority women. The average African-American woman earns 69 cents for every dollar that a white male earns and Latino women receive only 59 cents per dollar earned by white men. The Fair Pay Act of 2009 would: “I once asked Lilly Ledbetter at a hearing if this bill had been law, would it have prevented her wage discrimination case? Would she have had the information about pay scales and known she was being discriminated against? She said that it would,” continued Harkin. “Lily Ledbetter helped us to end pay discrimination, I hope she can now inspire us to close the wage gap.” The following Senators co-sponsored the Fair Pay Act of 2009: Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), John Kerry (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Jeff Merkely (D-OR). From http://www.nwlc.org/fairpay/statefacts.htm, 4/28/09: Go here to see your state wage gap standing. ln the United States, women are paid only 78¢ on average for every dollar paid to men. More than 45 years ago, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, making it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who perform substantially equal work. The following year, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted, making it illegal to discriminate, including in compensation, on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, and national origin. At the time of the Equal Pay Act’s passage in 1963, women were paid merely 59 cents to every dollar earned by men. Although enforcement of the Equal Pay Act and Title VII has helped to narrow the wage gap, significant disparities remain and must be addressed. From: http://suntalker.blogspot.com/2009/03/equal-pay-day-successes-more-action.html, 3/13/09: We’ve had a major success on pay equity already this year with the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act — but the fight for equal pay isn’t over! Women still earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. For women of color, the numbers are even worse! A bill before the Senate, the Paycheck Fairness Act, would help to deter wage discrimination against women. Please urge your Senators to support this bill, and find out more about equal pay for women. From: http://www.stilettobusinessonline.com/2009/03/my-dollar-looks-smaller.html, 3/18/09: My dollar looks smaller...Posted by Susan Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 9:52 AM From the Marie Claire Business Blog: Salary Report: Women Are Still Getting ShortchangedMarch 14, 2009 5:08 PM
We're Still Getting Shortchanged
In honor of Equal Pay Day (April 28), a look at how women are stacking up, salarywise:
I personally am not surprised. It is sad really. By 2040, we might reach a level of equal pay for equal work. Really?
I was equally disheartened when in researching one of MBA papers, I found out that women with MBAs and other advanced degrees are more likely to not be using them once they have children. Why? Mainly because business has not achieved what my friends in HR term "work/life balance." I have first hand proof. When I look around the park, while my kiddos are playing, I see this. Two women have masters degrees, there are two doctors and two lawyers. All who have taken time off to raise their children, in part because they want to and can afford to and in part because working 60 hours a week and being a mom is really difficult. Late night client meetings and kids, do not mix. American Business does not make it easy to raise a family. They like to say they do, but for us working moms, we know there are people taking notes and promotions we miss and frankly we know that we are torn in so many directions. Most career moms I know, show up and work hard and do a good job and yet, there is so much pressure to do more and that often comes at the expense of the children. Moving back to the stats which are startling, there are long term and systemic side effects to the pay inequity. First and foremost it is patently unfair. Equal work, same positions, same job titles, deserve equal pay. It is the 21st century. Business needs to get over itself and just acknowledge that women deserve equal pay. Furthermore, the disadvantages to unequal pay affect everyone. When women earn less, then they can save less for retirement, both in terms of social security, medicare and their retirement plans. This has long term social effects. Women live longer than men. They need those dollars longer into old age. With a divorce rate hovering around 50%, it is a safe bet that many women will no longer be married, at retirement or into old age, therefore their savings is all they have. There will be no remainder to live on, from a predeceased spouse. I think it is time for women to be paid the same as their male counterparts. That is just a fact. If we truly want to build a business culture of equality and equal opportunity, that begins with compensation. Otherwise, at a certain point, I think men will start to feel disadvantaged. Think about it - a female CEO makes $303,000 less than a male CEO. When times are tough and all things are equal - who is the company going promote? If it is purely based on cost - think about it, stranger things have happened! From: http://www.womenspress-slo.org/?p=230, 3/18/09:
Equal Pay Day: April 28, 2009 by Angie King17 March 2009
Wear RED on Equal Pay Day to symbolize how far women and minorities are “in the red” with their pay! It falls on a Tuesday because that is the day on which women’s wages catch up to men’s wages from the previous week. Because women earn less, on average, than men, they must work longer for the same amount of pay. That same discrepancy follows women into retirement. Not only do women live an average of three years longer than men, they have earned less in their working lifetimes and have smaller pensions, leaving a greater proportion of women living in poverty. The median income for older women is just $3,000 over the poverty level and just over half the median income of older men. Despite laws to the contrary, women still earn less at the same job as men. If women were paid comparable wages, it is estimated, the poverty level would drop by a third, and some say by half. Social Security is the only thing keeping almost 40 percent of older women from poverty. Still, even with that benefit, twelve and a half percent of women 65 and older live in poverty. For older women of color, that rate doubles. In the meantime, keep in mind that you should be paid at the same rate as men who do the same kind of job and that women should have greater access to the broad spectrum of jobs in order to compete for higher paid positions. It may mean a huge difference in your life later. Also keep in mind that a system that penalizes women who take time out of work or lower paying jobs to be the child bearers and caregivers of family members both old and young and then pays them less in the bargain, does so on the backs of women. Shouldn’t government be able to give something back in retirement for a woman’s service to society? From: http://wnymedia.net/blogs/2009/03/gillibrand-urges-senate-on-paycheck-fairness-act/, 3/18/09:Gillibrand Urges Senate on Paycheck Fairness ActHighlighting an issue that is close to her heart, New York Senator Gillibrand today joined forces with leading voices for women in New York to demand Senate action on the Paycheck Fairness Act. As a member of the House of Representatives, Senator Gillibrand worked hard to pass this measure, however the Senate has yet to act on the legislation. “I believe equal pay for women will result in economic growth for everyone,” said Senator Gillibrand. “As we mark Women’s History Month, I am proud to join with women leaders in New York to ensure equality and economic opportunity for women. I am working with Senate leaders to move forward on vital legislation that will guarantee equal pay for women and teach girls how to acquire better jobs that pays them what they’re worth.” One of Senator Gillibrand’s first actions in the U.S. Senate was to support passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which allows more time for victims of pay discrimination to file a lawsuit. However, she is continuing her work to address the ongoing pay gap between men and women.
The Paycheck Fairness Act, introduced the past two Congresses by then-Senator Hillary Clinton, would take crucial steps to help empower women to negotiate for equal pay, create strong incentives for employers to obey the laws that are in place, and strengthen federal outreach and enforcement efforts. “All of us, men and women, young boys and girls, pay a dramatic price when we do not grant equal opportunity to every hardworking woman in our economy,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The evidence is absolutely crystal clear. When women earn more, their families succeed. When mothers earn their fair share, young children have greater access to quality health care, educational opportunities, and safe communities. By ending the wage gap we will help ensure that every child can achieve his or her God-given potential. Even though the Equal Pay Act became law 45-years ago, pay discrimination remains in the workplace. A study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research showed that New York ranks 44th in the country for women’s participation in the labor force – this suggests significant barriers to women entering the work force. Women only make 78 cents on the dollar compared to a man. According to the National Committee on Pay Equity, working women stand to lose $250,000 over the course of their career because of unequal pay practices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the wage gap continues to persist even though women posted a greater net increase in jobs paying above the median salary than men from 2000 to 2005. In 2005, the median weekly pay for men was $663 compared to 73 percent of that for women, who earned $486 a week on average The Institute for Women’s Policy Research and the AFL-CIO found that America’s working families are lose $200 billion annually as a result of the on-going gender wage gap, even when accounting for age, education, and hours worked. That means $4,000 each year for each working woman’s family. According to the same study, equal pay would drastically cut poverty rates for women and their families - for single mothers, poverty would be cut in half. The poverty rates of married working women would fall by more than 60 percent. The Paycheck Fairness Act would address wage disparity by preventing, regulating and reducing pay discrimination for women. The legislation would create a training program to help women strengthen their negotiation skills, enforce equal pay laws for federal contractors and require the Department of Labor to work with employers to eliminate pay disparities by enhancing outreach and training efforts. In addition, the bill would prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who share salary information with their co-workers and allow women to sue for punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages now available under the Equal Pay Act. Senator Gillibrand was joined today by representatives from National Organization for Women, Girls Inc., the Equal Pay Coalition, A Better Balance, AAUW, Catalyst, Center for the Women of New York, CUNY - Howard Samuels Center, Junior League of the City of New York, League of Professional Theatre Women NY, League of Women Voters of the City of New York, Legal Momentum, and Manhattan Chamber of Commerce-Women’s Business Committee. “As the organization whose mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, Girls Incorporated has been in the forefront of advocating for an equitable society for 145 years,” says Joyce M. Roché, President and CEO of Girls Inc. “On behalf of the 900,000 girls we reach, we are proud to lend our voice to Senator Gillibrand’s effort to bring the Paycheck Fairness Act to a hearing in front of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee of the Senate.” “The National Organization for Women-New York State is proud to stand with Senator Gillibrand, linking arms to urge the United States Senate to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. The Paycheck Fairness Act is next in the fight for fair pay. Since women tend to hurt “first and worst” during economic downturns, new legislation strengthening pay equity laws is needed now more than ever. An unprecedented number of women are now family breadwinners due to rising employment rates–making pay equity critical not simply to family economic security but also to the nation’s economic recovery,” said Marcia A. Pappas, President from the National Organization for Women-NYS “NYWA’s Equal Pay Coalition NYC is inspired by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s enthusiastic leadership on the Paycheck Fairness Act which will help us advance the agenda toward achieving equal pay for women and minorities,” said Beverly Neufeld, Vice President, New York Women’s Agenda, Coordinator, EPCNYC. “As we approach the observance of Equal Pay Day in April, we look forward to working together to build the momentum to make fair pay a reality very soon for the women, children and families throughout New York and the United States.”
Text of the letter below: March 16, 2009
Dear Chairman Kennedy and Ranking Member Enzi, We write to respectfully request that you bring the Paycheck Fairness Act, S. 182, before the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for its consideration. This important piece of legislation, introduced on January 8, 2009 by then Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and now under the lead of Senator Barbara Mikulski, takes important steps towards ensuring that women receive the pay they deserve. The Paycheck Fairness Act builds on the success of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which first established that it is illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who perform substantially equal work. While this landmark law made impressive strides in alleviating pay discrimination, women today make an average of 78 cents for every dollar made by men. The National Committee on Pay Equity estimates that working women lose $250,000 over the course of their careers because of unequal pay practices. The Paycheck Fairness Act updates and strengthens the Equal Pay Act in a number of important ways; improving the prevention, regulation and reduction of pay discrimination. The legislation would establish training groups to help women strengthen their negotiation skills, enforce equal pay laws for federal contractors, and require the Department of Labor to work with employers to eliminate wage disparities through better outreach and training. It would expand the punitive damages allowed under the Equal Pay Act, and prohibit employers from retaliating against employees for sharing salary information with their co-workers. With the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 signed into law on January 29, 2009, the Paycheck Fairness Act represents the next step in ensuring equality for women in the workplace, once and for all. We look forward to seeing this bill move out of committee, and to the full Senate for consideration. From the WAGE Project, 3/19/09: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 19, 2009 Contacts: Lisa Goodnight 202/785-7738 goodnightl@aauw.org Annie Houle 207/899-2883 ahoule@wageproject.org AAUW, the WAGE Project Join Forces to Address Equal Pay WASHINGTON - AAUW and The WAGE Project today announced the formation of a partnership to ensure that women graduating from college start their careers knowing how to negotiate for fair and equal pay. This partnership will offer $tart $mart Campus Negotiation Workshops to 500 college campuses over the next three years. These nuts-and-bolts workshops, piloted by WAGE in 2007 and 2008 on more than 60 campuses, will be presented by trained AAUW facilitators. AAUW and WAGE urge all campuses in the nation to offer this valuable workshop, which can serve as a powerful influence in the lives of young women. The gender wage gap begins as early as the first year after a woman graduates from college, according to AAUW's research report, Behind the Pay Gap. A decade after graduation, it widens. In fact, AAUW found that the gap is clear even when women have the same major and occupation as their male counterparts. Over a 40-year career, college-educated women will have an average lifetime loss of roughly $1 million. In higher-paying fields, such as law, the wage gap can result in even greater lifetime losses - and long-term significantly impact retirement and Social Security income. Nationwide, working families lose $200 billion of income annually to the gender wage gap. And as benefits, raises, and job offers are typically based on current earnings, a fair wage at the beginning of a career can help set the stage for lifetime equity. "$tart $mart Campus Negotiation Workshops combine the vast membership of AAUW with the innovation of WAGE workshops to advance pay equity for working women," said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE. "AAUW is well known for fighting to close the wage gap through our efforts on Capitol Hill and our other advocacy work. With these workshops, we will be on the front lines, mentoring young women to become their own best advocates." "Empowering college women with knowledge and tools to counteract the reality of the gender wage gap is the objective of The WAGE Project's $tart $mart Campus Negotiation Workshops. WAGE is thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with AAUW members to bring $tart $mart workshops to women in colleges, community colleges, and universities throughout the United States. When these women graduate, they will have a better chance to get the paychecks they deserve," said Evelyn Murphy, president of WAGE. The gender pay gap persists because of inadequate knowledge about its devastating impact and causes, inequitable treatment of working women, and women's lack of knowledge about negotiating for a fair and equal salary. Negotiating salaries is a challenge for women at all stages of their careers, but it is an essential tool--along with stronger anti-discrimination laws and better enforcement of existing policies--to achieving economic security for women and their families. ### AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. Since 1881, AAUW has been one of the nation's leading voices promoting education and equity for women and girls. It has a nationwide network of 100,000 members, 1,300 branches, and 500 college/university institutional partners. Since its founding more than 127 years ago, members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day -- educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW's commitment to educational equity is reflected in its public policy advocacy, community programs, leadership development, conventions and conferences, national partnerships, and international connections. Visit the AAUW website at www.aauw.org. The WAGE Project, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization established for one purpose: To end discrimination and the gender wage gap for women in the American workplace. We do this through education and grassroots activism. Please visit us at www.wageproject.org.
England: From http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8019605.stm?ad=1, 5/509:  Bill set to expose gender pay gap
Many employers will be made to reveal how much they pay men compared with women, under the Equalities Bill. Firms employing at least 250 staff would be required to publish average hourly rates for men and women by 2013. The Bill also aims to tackle discrimination against the elderly and people from working class backgrounds. It has been backed by charities for the elderly but business groups called for a moratorium on new employment law and said it could delay economic recovery. Minister for Equality Harriet Harman pledged the bill would help to "narrow the gap between rich and poor and make Britain more equal". 'Coming clean' She told the BBC businesses would have until 2013 to voluntarily publish pay rates but added "old prejudices" had to be tackled if the economy was to prosper. She also said "gagging clauses" - under which employees are ordered not to reveal details of their pay - would be banned under the Bill. “ The result of this [bill] will mean that it will take longer to get out of recession and companies will be loathe to take on more employees ”
David Frost British Chambers of Commerce "This is about employers coming clean with their employees," Ms Harman said. "Unless we can see it workplace by workplace it stays swept under the carpet - that unfairness stays hidden and we can't tackle it, if it's hidden." The government had promised the bill, which will also ban age discrimination outside the workplace, in its manifesto before the last election. Forty years after the introduction of the Equal Pay Act, women in the UK still earn on average 23% less per hour than men. 'Struggling to survive' But business leaders say small firms are already struggling to cope with a "mass" of employment law. Miles Templeman, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: "This is a further example of unnecessary regulation at a time when companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are struggling to survive." David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, will tell its annual convention on Monday that the government too often sees the answer to a problem as being more legislation. "The result of this will mean that it will take longer to get out of recession and companies will be loathe to take on more employees," he will say. But Ms Harman said there was "no excuse for having unfairness when times are difficult". "The economies and societies which will prosper in the future are not those that have rigid hierarchies, where women know their place and where you can't go forward because of the colour of your skin," she said. Age discrimination The bill also aims to ban age discrimination. Ministers want older people to pay for services, such as insurance, based on the actual risk they face, rather than an arbitrary age-based cost. This has the backing of charity Age Concern and Help the Aged. However, the Association of British Insurers has denied its members' policies are unfair, saying they simply take account of risk. The bill will also give public bodies in England and Wales, including councils and health authorities, a new "social economic duty" - something that is already done in Scotland. “ We're concerned that too many of the proposals in this bill will be bureaucratic and expensive without providing real results ”
Theresa May Shadow minister for women For example, health trusts will be required to target services, such as stop-smoking clinics, at people in deprived areas - where smoking rates tend to be higher. Education authorities will also be expected to come up with policies which prevent children from poorer backgrounds from missing out on places at the best schools. Ministers say evidence shows that by the age of six, bright children from poor families are overtaken by less able children from wealthier homes and that people in deprived areas tend to suffer more from ill health. However, Ms Harman has insisted the bill will not mean working-class people are given precedence in job applications or on waiting lists for services. Shadow minister for women Theresa May said too many people faced discrimination because of their race, gender, religion, age and background. But she said "real action" was needed rather than "exercises in box ticking". "We're concerned that too many of the proposals in this bill will be bureaucratic and expensive without providing real results," she said. "For example, Labour's proposal for compulsory pay audits for all companies, rather than those proven to have broken the law, will simply waste time and money without making any difference to pay discrimination." Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8019605.stm Published: 2009/04/27 13:51:00 GMT © BBC MMIX Print Sponsor
Germany: From http://www.thelocal.de/national/20090320-18131.html, 3/23/09: Women stage wage-gap protests nationwide
Published: 20 Mar 09 08:00 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20090320-18131.html Women’s groups across Germany will protest on Friday to highlight the yawning pay gap between the sexes in the country, one of the worst in Europe.
The date, March 20, has not been chosen by chance. According to the protest organisers, this is the date up to which German women on average had to work this year - on top of last year’s salary - to earn as much as their male counterparts did in 2008. On average, women in Germany earn nearly a quarter less than men, compared to an average of 17 percent in the rest of Europe, with several factors specific to Germany making it hard for women to bridge the gap.
“The tax system in Germany encourages women to take a part-time job when their husband earns more than them,” Astrid Ziegler, a researcher at the WSI in Düsseldorf, told AFP. A scarcity of places at German day care facilities, as well as the fact that schools are not open all day, also make it difficult to combine a job with family life, she added. The situation is very different on the two sides of the former Berlin Wall. The latest official statistics - from 2006 - showed a salary gap of 25 percent in the former West Germany, compared to only six percent in the former communist East Germany (GDR). Until the country reunified in 1990, “all the women in the former GDR worked, there was a child care system and it was considered normal that they earned the same amount as men,” Dagmar Bischof, president of the Business and Professional Women (BPW) network said. When the Berlin Wall fell, however, “it was unfortunately not the East German system that was adopted in the west, but the reverse,” she added. In addition, women who choose to work in Germany rather than tend to their children are often seen as bad mothers, she said. “The mentality has to change.” Although the government - disturbed by the country’s extremely low birth rate - has tried to improve conditions for working moms, Ziegler said: “The politicians could do more. And there is no global strategy.” There is “segregation on the job market,” she added, with over a third of women working part-time. Only two women serve on the management boards of Germany’s top 30 listed companies, and female executives are paid less than the men in the boardroom, she said. This makes the “Equal Pay Day” protests all the more important, she said. “It draws attention to the problem.” More than 180 separate events were planned across Germany Friday and the initiative is supported by the families minister, the main employers’ federation and women’s groups. Austria, Belgium and Switzerland have also adopted the idea - first conceived in the US in the 1990s - and Poland, France and Italy are set to follow suit, Bischof said. AFP (news@thelocal.de) Administrative Professionals Day 4/22 & National Receptionists Day 5/13, 2009 Happy Belated Administrative Professionals Day to All Administrative Professionals Everywhere!April 22nd, 2009
Managers- What would you do without them? Honor your administrative professional today! "Raises not Roses", but roses with raises are nice too! So if you forgot this year, the next Administrative Professionals Day will be on April 21, 2010.
Organized in 1952 by IAAP, APW is a time to recognize administrative professionals for their contributions and accomplishments throughout the year. It is one of the largest workplace observances, bringing together millions of people worldwide for community events, educational seminars and individual corporate activities. --officeteam.com, 4/23/08
Check out www.iaap-hq.org, for information about administrative professionls.
"Rights, Respect, and Raises"
Hyatt Makes Business Personal For Administrative Professionals With Hyatt Gold Passport Planner Rewards
Thursday, April 23, 2009 Hyatt Hotels & Resorts is making it easier for administrative professionals and meeting planners to go on the trip of their dreams. Now anyone who schedules a qualifying meeting or event held at a Hyatt property can automatically receive Hyatt Gold Passport points that may be redeemed toward free stays at any Hyatt location, at any time, with no blackout dates. The Hyatt Gold Passport Planner Rewards program is free to join and meeting and events held at a Hyatt can earn administrative professionals who register credit toward Hyatt Gold Passport membership tier status and more rewards.
May 13
http://www.nationalreceptionists.com/
http://www.cardfountain.com/holiday_info/receptionist-day.php Presidential Commission on the Status of WomenFrom http://www.electwomen.com/?p=1550, 6/8/09:
ISSUE UPDATE: Congress Considering Presidential Commission on Women May 7th, 2009
By Brandy Bailey, ElectWomen Magazine Contributor A Presidential Commission on Women is one step closer to becoming a reality. On April 2nd, Representative Jackie Speier (D-California) introduced legislation regarding the creation of such a Commission that is now moving through Congress. If approved, the Commission will be responsible for conducting an independent review of the status of American women and make substantive policy recommendations to help women move forward and achieve equality and opportunity. In March, President Obama signed an executive order creating a White House Council on Women and Girls that will consider the effect on women of the Administration’s policies and agenda. The Presidential Commission on Women will differ from the White House Council on Women and Girls in the following ways: • The Commission will provide an independent, thorough look at the lives of women in America and create strategies for moving forward. It will examine women’s life at home, in the workplace, health issues, and economic impact. Ultimately, 15 members will be appointed to the Commission to serve a five-year term. President Obama will appoint four members. The head of the White House Council on Women and Girls, the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader in the Senate will each appoint three members, while the minority leaders of the House and Senate will appoint two members to serve on the Commission. The first Presidential Commission on women was created in 1961, by President Kennedy to explore issues relating to women in areas such as employment policy, education, and federal Social Security and tax laws relating to women. Although local chapters of that Commission still exist, there has not been a similar national effort in 48 years. For more information go to http://www.womencount.org.
To sign the petition for a Presidential Commission on the Status of Women: http://www.womencount.org/its_our_time
About H.R. 1887: http://www.womencount.org/commission_legislation The Global Gender Gap Report 2008
White House Council on Women and GirlsThe White House Introduces the White House Council on Women and Girls!
American Women Deserve to be Recognized and Acknowledged!
Thank you, President Obama, for establishing this very important council.
 From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-White-House-Council-on-Women-and-Girls/, 3/12/09:
WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary President Obama Announces White House Council on Women and Girls President Obama today signed an Executive Order creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. The mission of the Council will be to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families. The Council will be chaired by Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, and will include as members cabinet-level federal agencies. The Executive Director of the Council will be Tina Tchen, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Liaison at the White House. "The purpose of this Council is to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy," said President Obama. "My Administration has already made important progress toward that goal. I am proud that the first bill I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. But I want to be clear that issues like equal pay, family leave, child care and others are not just women’s issues, they are family issues and economic issues. Our progress in these areas is an important measure of whether we are truly fulfilling the promise of our democracy for all our people. I am confident that Valerie Jarrett and Tina Tchen will guide the Council wisely as its members address these important issues." The White House Council on Women and Girls will ensure that agencies across the federal government, not just a few offices, take into account the particular needs and concerns of women and girls. The Council will begin its work by asking each agency to analyze their current status and ensure that they are focused internally and externally on women. In particular, the Council will work to enhance, support and coordinate the efforts of existing programs for women and girls. The Council will also work as a resource for each agency and the White House so that there is a comprehensive approach to the federal government's policy on women and girls. The priorities will be carried out by working closely with the President’s Cabinet Secretaries and relevant agency offices that focus on women and families. During its first year, the Council will also focus on the following areas:
The White House Council on Women and Girls will meet regularly, and will serve as a forum for all involved agencies to focus on women. Initial members of the Council include: In addition to the initial list of members, the President may designate additional heads of other Executive Branch departments, agencies, and offices.
"So now it's up to us to carry that work forward, to ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements -- and that they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers never dreamed of. That's the purpose of this Council. Those are the priorities of my presidency. And I look forward to working with all of you to fulfill them in the months and years to come." President Obama, 3/11/09
We are accomplishing goals!... Read below.
 NOW Cheers White House Council on Women and Girls: "We Got the Entire Cabinet!" March 11, 2009 NOW cheers the formation of the White House Council on Women and Girls, which was created by executive order of President Barack Obama today. It was a pleasure for me to be at the White House to hear the president make this commitment to supporting women and girls in such strong and unequivocal terms. It was a heartening moment for those of us who have worked so hard for this day. There can be no question that the needs of women and girls require the attention of the White House itself. As President Obama pointed out in today's speech, women still earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. One out of every four women will experience some form of domestic violence during her lifetime. Women make up more than half the population, yet are only 17 percent of the U.S. Congress. And while women are 49 percent of the nation's workforce, only three percent of the Fortune 500 companies are headed by women. The make-up of the White House Council is extraordinary. It will be headed by Valerie Jarrett, assistant to the president and one of his closest friends and advisors, and will include every Cabinet secretary and the head of every Cabinet-level agency. The Executive Director of the Council will be Tina Tchen, deputy assistant to the president and a long-time advocate of women's rights. We asked for a Cabinet-level office to work on women's issues, and we got the entire Cabinet. NOW looks forward to supporting the work of the White House Council on Women and Girls in the months ahead. There is much work to be done. ### For Immediate Release Copyright 1995-2008, All rights reserved. Permission granted for non-commercial use. National Organization for Women
Imagine an Office on Women in the Obama-Biden administration -- not just any old office, but one at the Cabinet level, putting women "at the table" in a very tangible way. We can make it happen! Recently NOW helped organize a coalition of nearly 50 national groups which sent a letter to President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden urging gender balance in executive appointments and advocating the creation of this new Office on Women. This office would address not only the status of women, but also the many inequities that women face in our society, our nation, and our world. The director would hold cabinet rank and report directly to the president. Establishing this office would be another historic first for Obama and a giant leap toward equality. Because women, especially women of color, are differently affected by so many laws and policies - from health care to the economy - it is critical that women be taken into account as the new administration makes key decisions. Women need an advocate at the policy-making table whose specific responsibility is considering and weighing in on the possible impact of these decisions on women's opportunities for advancement. A Cabinet-level office is the most effective way to accomplish this goal. The Office on Women would seek new ways to foster the full potential of tens of millions of women and girls of all races and from all walks of life -- through policies, budgeting, inter-agency coordination and special initiatives. Let's face it, many of our federal programs were designed at a time when women's roles in our society were very different, and these programs need to be reviewed and reassessed. The office would have leadership of a revived and strengthened White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach and a restored Inter-Agency Council on Women, both of which existed under the Clinton administration but could stand a few upgrades this time around. In addition, the Office on Women would interrelate with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Commission on the Status of Women, and the Status of Women Commissions of many states, counties and municipalities across the country. 2009 International Women of Courage Awards2009 International Women of Courage Awards
From: http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/03/120285.htm, 3/12/09: 2009 International Women of Courage Awards
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Benjamin Franklin Room
Washington, DC
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, this is such an exciting occasion, and there were so many people who wanted to come today, but unfortunately, there is a limit to how many people we can let into this magnificent room. So there are people watching on closed-circuit TV all over this building, and beyond.
And it is my pleasure to welcome you to the State Department to celebrate International Women’s Day with a very special event and a very special guest. The event is the International Women of Courage Awards, and in a minute, you will meet these remarkable women and learn more about their lives and their work. And I am especially delighted to thank one person in particular whose presence here means a great deal to all of us – our First Lady, Michelle Obama. (Applause.) Now, I know a little bit about the role that – (laughter) – Michelle Obama is filling now. And I have to say that in a very short time, she has, through her grace and her wisdom, become an inspiration to women and girls not only in the United States, but around the world. And it is so fitting that she would join us here at the State Department to celebrate the achievements of other extraordinary women, and to show her commitment to supporting women and girls around the globe. She understands, as we all do here at the State Department, that the status of women and girls is a key indicator of whether or not progress is possible in a society. And so I am very grateful to her and to President Obama, who earlier today announced the creation of the White House Interagency Council on Women and Girls. That will – (applause). That office will help us collaborate across every department and agency in our government. President Obama has also designated an ambassador-at-large to consolidate our work on women’s global issues here at the State Department. Now, this is a position that has never existed before, and I am very pleased that someone you all know, if you have ever worked on women’s issues – know and appreciate a longtime colleague and friend, Melanne Verveer, who’s been nominated to fill that post. (Applause.) And I also want to thank Ambassador Susan Rice and our excellent U.S. delegation to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, which is in the middle of its annual meetings now, for the work that they are doing and for the engagement that they demonstrate. Today, we’re focusing on the International Women of Courage Awards. It’s a fairly new tradition here at the State Department, but it’s already become a cherished institution. For the past three years, our embassies have sent us stories of extraordinary women who work every day, often against great odds to advance the rights of all human beings to fulfill their God-given potential. Today, we recognize eight of those women. Each is one of a kind, but together they represent countless women and men who strive daily for justice and opportunity in every country and on every continent, usually without recognition or reward. And I want to say a special word about someone who could not join us, who we honor today – Reem Al Numery, who was forced to marry her older cousin when she was just 12 years old. She is now fighting to obtain a divorce for herself and end child marriage in Yemen. She was not able to be here, but we honor her strength and we pledge our support to end child marriage everywhere, once and for all. (Applause.) We also express our solidarity with women whose governments have forbidden them from joining us, especially Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been kept under house arrest in Burma for most of the past two decades, but continues to be a beacon of hope and strength to people around the world. Her example has been especially important to other women in Burma who have been imprisoned for their political beliefs, driven into exile, or subjected to sexual violence by the military. Our honorees and the hundreds of millions of women they represent not only deserve our respect, they deserve our full support. When we talk about human rights, what I think of are faces like these. What I am committed to is doing everything in my power as Secretary of State to further the work on the ground in countries like those represented here to make changes in peoples’ lives. That doesn’t happen always in the halls of government. It happens day to day in the towns and cities, the villages and countryside where the work of human rights goes on. We simply cannot solve the global problems confronting us, from a worldwide financial crisis to the risks of climate change to chronic hunger, disease, and poverty that sap the energies and talents of hundreds of millions of people when half the world’s population is left behind. The rights of women – really, of all people – are at the core of these challenges, and human rights will always be central to our foreign policy. Earlier today I met with Foreign Minister Yang of China and conveyed to him, as I do in my meetings with all other leaders, that it is our view in the Obama Administration that every nation seeking to lead in the international community must not only live by, but help shape the global rules that will determine whether people do enjoy the rights to live freely and participate fully. The peace, prosperity and progress that we know are best served and best serve human beings come when there is freedom to speak out, to worship, to go to school, enjoy access to health care, live and work with dignity. The United States is grounded in these ideals, and our foreign policy must be guided by them. Indeed, our own country must continually strive to live up to these ideals ourselves. Not only does smart power require us to demand more of ourselves when it comes to human rights, but to express those views to others and to actually assist those who are on the frontlines of human rights struggles everywhere. It is important that we focus on human rights because I know what inspiration it has given to me over many years. The people I have met, they have constantly reminded me of how much work lies ahead if we are to be the world of peace, prosperity and progress that we all seek. I’ve met a lot of people, particularly women, who have risked their lives – from women being oppressed by the Taliban in Afghanistan, to mothers seeking to end the violence in Northern Ireland, to citizens working for freedom of religion in Uzbekistan, and NGOs struggling to build civil society in Slovakia, to grassroots advocates working to end human trafficking in Asia and Africa, and local women in India and Bangladesh, Chile, Nicaragua, Vietnam and many other places who are leading movements for economic independence and empowerment. These personal experiences have informed my work. And I will continue to fight for human rights as Secretary of State in traditional and especially non-traditional ways and venues. All of you gathered here represent the kind of broad coalition that we need – business leaders, NGO leaders, ambassadors, experts, people from every corner of our government, citizens who are moved and touched by the stories of courage that we will be hearing some more of today. And it is exciting that we have now in our own country someone who is standing up for the best of America, a woman who understands the multiple roles that women play during the course of our lives, and fulfills each one with grace. An example of leadership, service, and strength. It is my great pleasure and honor to introduce the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. (Applause.) (The First Lady makes remarks.) (Applause.) SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much, Mrs. Obama, and it’s exciting to have your leadership and example for not only girls and women in our country, but those around the world. Now, we’re going to start with the extraordinary women who we honor today. The first woman, Wazhma Frogh, from Afghanistan, is being recognized for her courageous efforts to combat sexual and domestic violence and child and marital rape throughout Afghanistan, despite facing dangerous conditions. She has come a long way, and we stand in solidarity with her and the people of Afghanistan. (Applause.) Next, from Guatemala, Norma Cruz. We are recognizing her for her unyielding efforts to end the culture of impunity surrounding the murder and other forms of violence against women in Guatemala. At great risk to her personal safety, Norma Cruz has been outspoken and extraordinarily brave, and we are honored to have her with us today. Norma Cruz. (Applause.) Suaad Allami, from Iraq. I told Suaad when we were waiting to come out how pleased I was to see her, and how grateful we are for the progress that we’ve seen, but we know how much more needs to be done in her country. And we honor her for bravely promoting the legal rights, the health, the social well-being and the economic and political empowerment of women in Iraq, despite threats to her own safety. Thank you so much, Suaad. (Applause.) Veronika Marchenko, from Russia. We honor her for her stalwart leadership in seeking justice for the families of bereaved service members, young men conscripted into the Russian Army. For her commitment to seeking the truth and in promoting improved human rights conditions for those who serve in the Russian army, and being a networking presence to bring together those who served and their families to find answers to so many of the questions that no one had ever, ever bothered to answer before. Thank you so much. (Applause.) Our next honoree is from Uzbekistan, Mutabar Tadjibayeva, for her courage, her conviction, her perseverance in promoting human rights, the rule of law, and good governance in Uzbekistan, and for standing up for justice at great personal risk. Mutabar is someone who has been in prison for quite some time, and she still has a big smile on her face, and I salute her courage and her persistence. (Applause.) From Niger, Hadizatou Mani. Hadizatou is such an inspiring person. Enslaved by being sold at a very young age, she never gave up on herself or on her deep reservoir of human dignity. When she finally escaped from slavery, she didn’t forget those who were still enslaved. For her inspiring courage in successfully challenging an entrenched system of caste-based slavery, and securing a legal precedent that will help countless others seek freedom and justice, we honor and salute her. (Applause.) You know, before I introduce our final honoree, who will respond on behalf of all of the honorees, I just want to say that over the course of many years of doing human rights work, and particularly on behalf of girls and women, I’m sometimes asked, well, do ceremonies like this really matter; is that just not something, you know, that you do and it’s a nice feeling, and then you go back to wherever you came from? I know that these kinds of recognitions and moments of honor by both governments and NGOs and other institutions and individuals are extremely important. They provide a recognition of an individual’s struggle and courage that stands for so much more. They provide a degree of awareness about the problems that the individual is fighting to remedy. They serve notice on governments that the first and highest duty is for every government to protect the human rights of every individual within that jurisdiction. And they provide a degree of protection. And so I salute those in the State Department who have recognized the importance of this and kept it going, and we are proud to continue that tradition. Our final speaker, Ambiga Sreenevasan, has a remarkable record of accomplishment in Malaysia. She has pursued judicial reform and good governance, she has stood up for religious tolerance, and she has been a resolute advocate of women’s equality and their full political participation. She is someone who is not only working in her own country, but whose influence is felt beyond the borders of Malaysia. And it is a great honor to recognize her and invite her to the podium. (Applause.) MS. SREENEVASAN: The First Lady Mrs. Obama, Madame Secretary Hillary Clinton, ladies and gentlemen, I am humbled to be in the company of seven extraordinary women receiving this award for courage, and I am deeply honored to now speak on their behalf and on mine. We accept this award in all humility, remembering that we have been fortunate in being singled out from among countless courageous women in our countries who are dedicated to the cause of equality and justice. It is also timely for us to remember all the women in other conflict-ridden territories, like Palestine and other countries, who have to show courage every single day in their struggle to survive and to keep their families together. Each of us fights causes that promote equality and justice, and by presenting us with this award you honor those causes and all the people who work tirelessly for them with unflinching dedication. This award will help to bring to the international stage our voices and our advocacy on these important issues. This occasion gives us an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the rule of law in promoting the rights of women around the world. When the rule of law is upheld, equality is upheld, the cause of justice is upheld, and human rights are upheld. Today, we are witnessing a struggle for the souls of our nations, taking place between the forces of the old and the forces of change. We see our commitment to the rule of law, fundamental liberties, and the independence of our institutions being tested. The strength of our nations will depend on how well they withstand this test. There are those who claim that democracy is a Western concept and is unsuitable elsewhere. There are yet others who perpetrate injustices behind a veneer of democracy. We say that democracy is universal, and a true democracy and the rule of law will prevail when the collective voices of the people are raised in its support. On my part, I have for the past two years had the privilege to lead and serve the Malaysian Bar, a professional organization consisting of approximately 13,000 lawyers. History will bear testament to the fact that the Malaysian Bar has always been true to its first article of faith, to uphold the cause of justice without regard to its own interests or that of its members uninfluenced by fear or favor. In a sense, I was merely stepping into the shoes of the many other brave leaders of the bar who came before me, whereas many of the awardees today are pioneers in their struggle for justice. This award has given us the opportunity which we would not otherwise have had, to share our stories, our successes, our failures, to reach out across our borders and to establish a base upon which we can build a meaningful network of support. These stories must be told in all our countries. By this experience, we are both enriched and enraged; enriched by what we have shared, and enraged that so many of our sisters endure intimidation and suffering in their countries. Nevertheless, ours is a message of hope that something has been achieved, despite the odds. Martin Luther King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This means that although we may come from different walks of life, our struggle is common. And each success is a success for all, just as each failure is a failure for all. When we unite on a human rights platform, whether domestically or internationally, above politics and political alliances, we create more enduring partnerships and relationships. When we pursue freedom and empowerment for others, we reaffirm and protect our own. In my interaction with the other awardees present here today, it was evident that the passion we feel for our causes is driven by the love of our homelands and our people. That, in turn, drives our passion for what is right and what is just. Our people deserve nothing less. We all believe in striving for ideals that are– if I may borrow the words – self-evident; namely, the ideals of truth, justice, goodness, and universal love and understanding. Our stories are a testament to the universality of these ideals. We are truly and deeply honored by this award, more so, when it comes from you, Madame Secretary, yourself a woman of courage, who has inspired women around the world to reach great heights. Your untiring efforts in championing women’s rights worldwide are well known. Your immortal words that, “Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights,” resonate with all of us here. We would also like to express our deep admiration for the First Lady Mrs. Obama, and we would also like to express our appreciation for your sharing this moment with us. Madame Secretary, on behalf of all the awardees, I thank you. And we accept the honor with humility and pride. Thank you. (Applause.) SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. These women of courage will serve to remind us every day as we do our work in this venerable building – here we are in the Benjamin Franklin Room, and I’m about to invite you to join our reception in the Thomas Jefferson Room – that our own country has a lot to live up to. But we derive inspiration from those who are struggling so hard just to realize the basic rights that we sometimes take for granted. And it is our responsibility not only to continue to do what we must here at home to realize the dream that America represents, but to use our talents and our abilities and resources to help others as well. It is such a great privilege to be here with all of you, to be the Secretary of State at this moment of history in an administration represented by Mrs. Obama today, led by President Obama, who means so much already to so many around the world. Now, it’s our job to realize the promise that that represents. Thank you all very much. (Applause.) # # #
From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-Key-State-Department-Appointments/, 3/12/09:
Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Previously, Verveer served as Executive Vice President of People for the American Way, a civil rights and constitutional liberties organization where she played a key role in the passage of several landmark civil rights bills. She was Coordinator for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for the U.S. Catholic Conference, Field Manager of Common Cause and worked in the U.S. House and Senate as Legislative Director and Special Assistant respectively. Verveer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women’s Foreign Policy Group, the Washington Institute on Foreign Affairs and Women In International Security.
The President’s decision to nominate an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues is unprecedented and reflects the elevated importance of global women’s issues to the President and his entire Administration. Equal Pay Day 2008EQUAL PAY DAY (4/18) 2008
Questions about women’s civil rights, especially protection from discrimination in the workplace and the right to equal pay, reappeared in the recent case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear (2007) and in proposed legislation stemming from that decision.
Let’s review some of these issues and see where the candidates stand.
Ledbetter v. Goodyear (2007) Obama: McCain: Ralph Nader: Bob Barr: Census statistics show Wage Gap unchanged
Women's earnings in 2006 were 76.9% of men's, leaving the wage gap statistically unchanged from last year, according to US Census statistics released in August 2007. Based on the median earnings of full-time, year-round workers, women's earnings were $32,515 and men's earnings were $42,261. Median earnings for women of color continue to be lower, in general, than earnings for men as a whole. In 2006, the earnings for African American women were $30,352, 71.8% of men's earnings, and for Latinas $25,198, 59.6% of men's, both slight gains; Asian American women's earnings were $39,313, 93.0% of men's, an increase from last year. NCPE's Wage Gap Over Time table shows that the wage gap has remained static since the turn of the century.
Something to think about: Women in Top Ranks Pull Up the Pay of Others MONTREAL -- American women earn substantially more money and narrow
***From PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics: (This looks like a great company)***
Women are paid less for doing the same work as men in every country on earth.5 In the U.S., women earn only $.74 on the dollar paid to men, African American women earn $.63 and Hispanic women $.56.6 Only 3% of senior managers at Fortune 1000 corporations are NOT white males.7 (The novelty of twenty-something, snow-boarding CEOs gave the "dot com gold rush" a reputation for having shaken up the make-up of corporate power, but the gender-power breakdown remained the same): in Silicon Valley, the ratio of female to male stock option ownership is 1 to 100.8 After the career years, women are only half as likely as men to receive a pension, which will be half the amount awarded to men.9 This could explain why 75% of 85-year-old Social Security recipients are female and why women are almost twice as likely as men to spend their later years in poverty.10
"Unmarried Women and Income Disparity" http://www.wvwv.org/assets/2008/4/18/memo.income.pdf
From www.washingtoncitypaper.com, 4/22/08:
In 2006, an unmarried man earned 64 cents to a married man’s dollar.
From www.HillaryCinton.com, 4/22/08:
Hillary's statement on Equal Pay Day:
Equal Pay Day, the day that women’s wages catch up with our male counterparts from the previous year, reminds us that while Americans have made great strides towards equality, we still face important challenges.
Even forty years after the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, women only receive .77 cents for every dollar men earn, and the gap is significantly more for women of color. In Pennsylvania, women who work full time earn 74.8 percent of what men earn. In Indiana, its 72.6, and in North Carolina women earn 79.7 to each dollar earned by men. On average, families forfeit $4,000 a year because women don't receive equal pay for equal work. I am a proud sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which will toughen penalties in enforcing the provisions of the Equal Pay Act and help realize the promise of pay equity.
There are heroines standing up for equal pay for equal work. Lilly Ledbetter, whose years of pay discrimination were upheld by the Supreme Court because she did not file a lawsuit before she had evidence of the discrimination, inspired me and my colleagues to introduce legislation to ensure that cases like hers are decided on the merits not on technicalities.
As the voters in Pennsylvania go to the polls today, the wage gap is a stark reminder of what is at stake in this election. As President, I will continue to work for pay equity because it's not a woman's issue, it is a fairness issue and it is a family issue.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/coalitions/womenforhillary/calculator/info3.pdf
The staff of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign passes along a statement from the Illinois lawmaker on the same subject. http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/04/clinton_campaig.html
For too many years, not only have women across America been undercompensated for their hard work, they have been undervalued. Women only earn 77 cents to every dollar that a man makes. Equal work deserves the guarantee of equal pay. We must eliminate the legacy of discrimination that continues to face women in the workplace, by ending penalties for women that choose to have both a career and raise a family and by making it easier for women to organize. Setting that standard will strengthen our workforce, raise our productivity, and benefit our economy as a whole.
National Women's History Month & International Women's Day (3/8) 2008March is National Women's History Month.
 March 8 is Int'l Women's Day.
 "In 1975, during International Women's Year, the United Nations began celebrating 8 March as International Women's Day."
From http://www.theflowerexpert.com/flower-blog/default/2009/03/02/The-History-of-first-International-Womens-Day-1, 3/4/09: The first International Women's Day, IWD was in 1911. It followed unanimous agreement at an International Conference of Working Women the previous year.
Clara Zetkin proposed that every year in every country there should be one same day when women's solidarity presses for equality. In 1869 British MP John Stuart Mill was the first person in Parliament to call for women's right to vote. On 19 September 1893 New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the right to vote. Women in other countries did not enjoy this equality and campaigned for justice for many years. In 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result.
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, 2009 - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA With passion and courage, women have taught us that when we band together to advocate for our highest ideals, we can advance our common well-being and strengthen the fabric of our Nation. Each year during Women's History Month, we remember and celebrate women from all walks of life who have shaped this great Nation. This year, in accordance with the theme, "Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet," we pay particular tribute to the efforts of women in preserving and protecting the environment for present and future generations.Ellen Swallow Richards is known to have been the first woman in the UnitedStates to be accepted at a scientific school. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1873 andwent on to become a prominent chemist. In 1887, she conducted a survey of water quality in Massachusetts. This study, the first of its kind in America, led to the Nation's first state water-quality standards.Women have also taken the lead throughout our history in preserving our natural environment. In 1900, Maria Sanford led the Minnesota Federation of Women's Groups in their efforts to protect forestland near the Mississippi River, which eventually became the Chippewa National Forest, the first Congressionally mandated national forest. Marjory Stoneman Douglas dedicated herlife to protecting and restoring the Florida Everglades. Her book, The Everglades: Rivers of Grass, published in 1947, led to the preservation of the Everglades as a National Park. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993.Rachel Carson brought even greater attention to the environment by exposing the dangers of certain pesticides to theenvironment and to human health. Her landmark 1962 book, Silent Spring, was fiercely criticized for its unconventional perspective. As early as 1963,however, President Kennedy acknowledged its importance andappointed a panel to investigate the book's findings. Silent Spring has emerged as a seminal work in environmental studies. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 1980.Grace Thorpe, another leading environmental advocate, alsoconnected environmental protection with human well-being byemphasizing the vulnerability of certain populations to environmental hazards. In 1992, she launched a successful campaign to organize Native Americans to oppose the storage of nuclear waste on their reservations, which she said contradicted Native American principles of stewardship of the earth. She also proposed that America invest in alternative energy sources such as hydroelectricity, solar power, and wind power.These women helped protect our environment and our people while challenging the status quo and breaking social barriers. Their achievements inspired generations of American women and men not only to save our planet, but also to overcome obstacles and pursue their interests and talents. They join a long and proud history of American women leaders, and this month wehonor the contributions of all women to our Nation.NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the UnitedStates of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the UnitedStates, dohereby proclaim March 2009 as Women's History Month. Icallupon all our citizens to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history, accomplishments, and contributions of American women.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirdday of March, in the year of ourLordtwothousandnine, and of the Independence of the UnitedStates ofAmerica the twohundred and thirty-third.BARACK OBAMA# # #From: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-by-the-President-on-International-Womens-Day/, 3/10/09:
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary In observance of International Women’s Day, and during Women’s History Month in the United States, the United States stands with people around the globe to reaffirm our commitment to the equality, freedom, achievements, and advancement of women. From the global challenge of climate change, to a world that is not yet free from poverty and conflict, our challenges are many. Women are vital to the solutions to these problems, and we will not sow the seeds for a brighter future or reap the benefits of the change we need without the full and active participation of women around the world.
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Happy National Receptionists Day 2009
Accenture International Women's Day 2008 | |||
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1916 Women Bullies in the Workplace
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Secretary of State: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Fair Pay is On the Way!
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President Obama, thank you for signing into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act 2009! We're On the Way for Equal Pay!
Whitehouse: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act 2009. Remarks from President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Contact your U.S. Senators and encourage them to support and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, the companian bill to the Lilly Ledbetter Act. http://www.nwlc.org/fairpay/senatevote012209.html http://www.nwlc.org/details.cfm?id=3441§ion=newsroom From www.now.org, 1/24/09: Goodyear Tire Gets Away with Pay Discrimination, January 22, 2009 Tonight the Senate passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act by a bipartisan vote of 61 to 36, vindicating Lilly Ledbetter's long search for redress after 19 years of pay discrimination. "This is an important first step in our efforts to undo years of backsliding on the right to be paid a fair and equitable wage," said National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy. "The Ledbetter bill will allow redress for workers with the energy and willpower to seek redress in the courts, but we have a long way to go before we have fair pay for women, and laws with real teeth." While it is too late for her to receive the compensation she deserved from Goodyear and was denied by the Supreme Court, Lilly's determined quest for equal rights for women in the workplace led to today's Senate passage of the legislation introduced in her name. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation next week after an expected concurrence from the House. The Ledbetter Act, which was blocked in the Republican-led Senate last year, will essentially reverse the 2007 Supreme Court decision that required workers to file charges on a pay discrimination claim within six months after receiving their first discriminatory paycheck. The Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber, which reversed the jury's compensation award to Ledbetter, essentially gave employers the go-ahead to discriminate in pay, as long as they weren't caught in the first six months after the onset of their illegal actions. Earlier this month the House passed the Ledbetter Act with a companion bill, the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would close loopholes that allow employers to pay men and women discriminatorily and provides consequences for that discrimination. The Senate today acted only on the Ledbetter Act, so work on passage of the companion bill begins tomorrow. But tonight NOW salutes Lilly Ledbetter and promises to continue working for passage of fair pay legislation with real teeth, so that her long journey through the courts and the halls of Congress will not have been in vain, and all workers will be able enjoy a fair, safe and equitable workplace where they can do their jobs and support their families. ### For Immediate Release Copyright 1995-2008, All rights reserved. Permission granted for non-commercial use. National Organization for Women Excerpts from www.momsrising.org, 1/6/09: Background about this issue: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act are important steps to making sure that women are paid what they are worth. These pieces of legislation would make it easier for women to recover lost wages from bosses who discriminate and by requiring the federal government to be more proactive in preventing and battling wage discrimination.
The Paycheck Fairness Act would improve protections for workers under the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by allowing individuals to better fight pay discrimination, strengthening penalties for violation, compelling employers to explain wage gaps, and developing training for women and girls about salary negotiation.
These bills will provide women the tools they need to gain equal pay for equal work. Especially during these tough economic times, women need equal pay for equal work to ensure self-sufficiency and dignity.
A recent study found that pay discrimination costs the average women $434,000 over a forty year period of time.1 Now, more than ever, women and families need the economic security brought by Fair Pay for equal work.
P.S. If you haven't seen the video of Batgirl fighting for fair pay yet, be sure to check it out at: http://www.OutOfTheWayOfFairPay.org P.P.S. Innovative win-win solutions to work and family issues are more accessible than most of us realize. This weekend the New York Times highlighted one such innovative opportunity: babies at work! http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/jobs/04babies.html?_r=1
1. Lifetime Losses: The Career Wage Gap, http://www2.americanprogressaction.org/o/507/t/1371/content.jsp?content_KEY=2219 | |
Women Who Work in a Mostly Male Office
Ways Women Can Hold Their Own in a Male World
By DANA MATTIOLI
Joining a male-dominated industry, like engineering, computer science or construction trades, can be intimidating. So can working in a predominantly male office. Women often struggle to figure out how to gain respect from male colleagues. It's imperative to establish yourself as an intelligent, no-nonsense employee. Here are some ways to navigate a mostly male office.
To read the full article, click on the link above.
Get Out The Vote!
Top Companies for Working Women, 2008 - Part 2
From: http://www.flextimelawyers.com/best/release08.pdf, 10/6/08:
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL AUGUST 12, 2008, 6 AM ET:
Contact: For Working Mother Media:
Jackie Cook
The Rosen Group Founder & President
212.255.8455
jackie@rosengrouppr.com
For Flex-Time Lawyers:
Deborah Epstein Henry, Esq.
610.658.0836
dehenry@flextimelawyers.com
Working Mother
and Flex-Time LawyersRecognize 2008 Best Law Firms for Women
Billable Hours or Home for Dinner?
Firms Face Gender Challenges as Nearly Half of New Attorneys are Women
New York, NY (August 12, 2008).The legal profession is in a work/life crisis, with 78% of associates leaving law firms by their fifth year and nearly ½ of women lawyers leaving the profession at some point in their careers. The question is whether law firms will ever abandon their traditional practices to meet today.s rising female workforce demands? They might have to, according to a special report in the August/September issue of
Working Mother magazine. Produced in partnership with Flex-Time Lawyers, the report names the Best Law Firms for Women and examines the challenges and opportunities afforded to female lawyers.Women should not be denied the right to become partners, but the .billable hour. system is not allowing them to advance in their careers
and raise a family. The 100-hour work week model is just not effective,. said Carol Evans, CEO, Working Mother Media. .Today, with nearly half of law school graduates women, law firms will have to make a fundamental shift in their policies regarding partnership in order to remain competitive. We hope that by recognizing the pioneering firms that have already moved the needle, a paradigm shift will follow. Working Mother is very interested in the challenges female lawyers face because if law firms get this right, it will have positive ramifications for working mothers everywhere, added Evans. It's an extreme job, which requires extreme measures and bold changes.In order to effect change,
Working Mother magazine and Flex-Time Lawyers partnered for the second year in a row to name the Best Law Firms for Women, which recognizes firms that have instituted female and family-friendly benefits. This year, 30% more applications were received, signifying the increased importance that law firms are placing on attracting and retaining women.The good news is that some firms are making headway. This year.s winners are redefining the standards of success and creating workplaces that encourage the retention and advancement of women. Among the current programs in place at the winning firms: 98% of winning firms host networking groups for female lawyers; 68% offer mentoring for senior female associates; and 62% offer management training for women.
The 2008 Best Law Firms for Women are making progress and understanding the need to move in a new direction,. said Deborah Epstein Henry, Founder and President, Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. .For example, we are seeing increases in our numbers of female equity partners. an average of 19% this year, versus 16% last year. As the numbers increase, we anticipate other law firms will take notice and competition will drive more creative ways to enhance work/life balance and improve the status of women in the profession..
Bringing the balancing act of female lawyers to its pages,
Working Mother examines a new breed of .part-time partners,. a small but growing trend at law firms. Although women make up only 18% of equity and non-equity partners today, 100% of the winning firms allow reduced-hour lawyers to be elevated to at least non-equity partnership, which is becoming a critical recruitment and retention tool.The 2008 Working Mother & Flex-Time Lawyers Best Law Firms for Women
Profiles of the 2008 Best Law Firms for Women are featured in the August/September issue of Working Mother and at www.workingmother.com and www.flextimelawyers.com. Winning firms will be honored at a luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental in New York on September 15. That morning, Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers will hold a forum to report for the first time the findings of their national research on the trends and share best practices of work/life balance and women in the legal profession.Methodology:
The 2008 Best Law Firms for Women application was developed in a partnership between Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC. Firms with at least 50 lawyers were eligible to apply and the application included detailed questions about the issues that are most important to the retention and promotion of female lawyers. The 50 winning firms were selected based on their responses to an application measuring areas such as workforce profile, family-friendly benefits and policies, flexibility, leadership, compensation, advancement and retention of women.About Working Mother Media
Founded in 1979,
Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media, which was founded in 2001. Working Mother Media includes the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress, the Multicultural Women’s Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media’s mission is to champion culture change. For more information, please visit www.workingmother.com.About Flex-Time Lawyers LLC
Flex-Time Lawyers LLC® is a national consulting firm advising lawyers, law firms, bar associations, law schools and corporations on work/life balance, business development, women’s initiatives, re-entry of comeback professionals and the retention and promotion of women. It hosts a membership organization with chapters in New York and Philadelphia, offering networking opportunities, support, career guidance, education and information sharing to effect change. Flex-Time Lawyers LLC is a resource to the press and legal community at large on work/life balance and women’s issues and also provides recruiting services. It has been covered extensively in the national and legal press, including
The New York Times, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, National Public Radio, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, National Law Journal, New York Law Journal, and numerous others. For more information, please visit www.flextimelawyers.com.# # #
The Winners
Allstate Insurance
American Electric Power
American Express
Chubb & Son
Citi
Colgate-Palmolive
Credit Suisse Securities
Deloitte
Ernst & Young
General Mills
IBM
JPMorgan Chase
Kraft Foods
MetLife
Pepsico
PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Procter & Gamble
Tap Pharmaceutical Products
Verizon Communications
Wal-Mart Stores
METHODOLOGY EMBARGOED UNTIL 7 AM TUESDAY, MARCH 11 Contact: Jackie Cook
The Rosen Group
212-255-8455
Working Mother selected the 2008 Working Mother Best Companies for Multicultural Women based on a detailed application completed by each company. Private and public firms based in the United States are eligible to apply. Government agencies, companies in the human resources field and nonautonomous divisions of companies are not eligible. Companies supplied 2007 data about the hiring, pay and promotion of multicultural employees. The application covers a wide variety of questions about a company’s workforce (such as number of women of color and women in top positions); culture (programs for women of color); external programs (diversity activities); and work/life programs (child care, elder care, time off following childbirth). NetX Inc., an independent survey research firm in Columbus, NJ, tabulated the scores. This year, Working Mother gave the most weight to questions involving the representation, recruitment and retention of women of color.
Jackie@rosengrouppr.com
Working Mother
Magazine Announces the2008 Best Women-Owned Companies & Top Entrepreneur Moms
New York, NY (March 11, 2008) –
Every day women around the country launch thrivingbusinesses based upon what they know are the critical needs and practical solutions.
WorkingMother
magazine's 2008 Best Women-Owned Companies and Top Entrepreneur Moms go a stepfurther. These business leaders know how to successfully manage a business and at the same
time champion family-friendly policies and the advancement of female employees.
According to a recent American Express/Count Me In survey, 65 percent of female entrepreneurs
building million-dollar businesses are also mothers. These working moms know the importance
of keeping not only their employees happy, but their employee's families as well.
“It is amazing to see the types of benefits that the winning companies offer to working moms and
their families,” says
Working Mother Editor-in-Chief Suzanne Riss. “Our winning businessowners and entrepreneur moms have learned how to create a mom-friendly culture to attract and
retain great talent no matter what the size of their companies. We hope that more and more
companies, both small and large, will follow the in their footsteps.”
These rule-breakers launched innovative, family-friendly companies and did it on their own
terms:
•
At BTW informing change, all seven of the firm’s top leaders have kids, which may bethe reason the company offers generous paid time off: ten sick days and 20 to 28 vacation
days. • development and she makes it a priority to support her staffs’ quest for advancement by
introducing them to her wide business network and mentoring working moms. • “happy hours” that feature everything from barbeques to bike rides.
"As an entrepreneur mom myself, I know the dedication it takes to keep your focus on business,
the needs of employees, and the joys and requirements of your own family,” said Carol Evans,
CEO and President of Working Mother Media. "Our winners have been very nimble and
creative in building policies for their employees, and have customized benefits and schedules to
support the talent that keeps their business going strong. At the same time, our Entrepreneur
Moms want to be the very best moms they can be. I am so proud of how our winners are
changing the culture of America--one business venture at a time."
The 2008 Working Mother Best Women-Owned Companies:
Associated Speech & Language Specialists (St. Paul, MN)
Big Dog Taekwon-Do (Grand Rapids, MI)
BTW
informing change (Berkeley, CA)Buttoned Up (Ann Arbor, MI)
Cheryl F. Callahan, DDS (Rockville, MD)
Clockwork Active Media Systems (Minneapolis, MN)
Corecubed (Louisville, KY)
Crawford Ellenbogen (Pittsburgh, PA)
Defywire (Reston, VA)
Employmoms (Hanover, NH)
Green Frog Art (Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida)
JBK Associates (Englewood, New Jersey)
The Judgment Group (Stevensville, Maryland)
The Loopy Ewe (St. Louis, MO)
North Gwinnett Dental Care (Sugar Hill, GA)
Office Remedies (Herndon, VA)
SeekingSitters Franchise System (Tulsa, OK)
Something Fabulous (Somersby, New South Wales)
Spire Associates (San Francisco, CA)
StoreyManseau (Concord, NH)
Vantaggio HR (Aliso Viejo, CA)
VMS (Indianapolis, IN)
Welcome Committee (Mooresville, NC)
Worldwide Clinical Research (Overland Park, Kansas)
Zainer Rinehart Clarke (Santa Rosa, CA)
The 2008 Working Mother Entrepreneur Mom Awards:
Tess Coody-Anders, Co-Founder, Guerra DeBerry Coody (San Antonio, TX)
Linda Byerline, Founder, Happy Heiny’s (El Cajon, CA)
Sarah Stevens, Founder, Stevens Technologies Inc. (Charlotte, NC)
For full profiles of our winning companies please go to
www.workingmother.com.Methodology:
Independent, women-owned firms with five to 100 employees are eligible toapply. This year’s winners were chosen for their flexible schedules, creative family-friendly
benefits and dedication to their communities. Winning companies also support the advancement
of female employees. The Entrepreneur Mom Award winners embody that same spirit, leading
innovative firms that champion work/life balance.
To find out more about the Working Mother Best Women-Owned Companies, please visit
www.workingmother.com
.About Working Mother Media
Founded in 1979,
Working Mother magazine reaches 2 million readers and is the only national magazinefor career-committed mothers. Its 22-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is
the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. Working Mother is published
by Working Mother Media, which was founded in 2001. WMM includes the National Association for
Female Executives (NAFE), Diversity Best Practices, the WorkLife Congress, the Multicultural Women's
Conference and Town Halls. Working Mother Media's mission is to champion culture change.
# # #
Excerpt from http://womenonbusiness.com/equality/pink-magazine-ranks-top-companies-for-women-2008, 2/18/09:
Pink Magazine Ranks Top Companies for Women 2008
Posted October 7th, 2008 by Susan Gunelius in Equality
Pink Magazine approached America’s leading companies for the second year in a row and asked them to answer nearly 100 questions in order to determine which companies truly are best in terms of providing real advancement opportunities for women. Thirteen companies rose to the top.
Before you get too excited, take a look at a few less inspiring statistics before you see the list of the top companies for women in 2008:
- Only one company on the list has a female CEO.
- Women make up only 21% of the boards of the companies on the list.
- For none of the companies on the list do women in executive leadership roles equal women’s share of total employment.
With those statistics in mind, take a look at the top companies for women in 2008 according to Pink magazine (in alphabetical order as reported by Pink):
- American Express Co.
- Bebe Stores Inc.
- FedEx Services Inc.
- Grant Thornton LLP
- Heller Ehrman LLP
- KPMG LLP
- Liz Claiborne Inc.
- Manpower Inc.
- MetLife Inc.
- Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
- Turner Broadcasting System Inc.
- UPS
- Wachovia Corp.
From http://www.pinkmagazine.com/pressroom/2007/top_companies.html, 2/18/09:
American Express, Aflac and Wachovia Among the "Elite Eight": PINK magazine's Inaugural List of Top Companies for Women
ATLANTA, July 17, 2007—PINK magazine today announced its inaugural list of the Top Companies for Women, to be featured in the magazine's August-September issue.
Making up this year's Elite Eight companies for women are American Express Co., Heller Ehrman LLP, Kelly Services, Aflac Inc., FedEx Services, Grant Thornton LLP, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. and Wachovia Corp. Bebe Stores Inc. received an honorable mention.
After a comprehensive application and evaluation process involving many of America's finest companies, PINK recognized these eight finalists for their strong focus on the Four P's: Power (women in board seats and C-suites, and those with P&L responsibility); Pipeline (leadership training, mentoring and coaching programs to retain talented women and move them up the ranks); Pay (evidence of pay equity, including the number of women in the top 20 percent of company salaries); and People (a work culture that allows women to have a beautiful career and a beautiful life).
"When it comes to advancing women, these companies demand results, not rhetoric," says PINK's founding editor, Cynthia Good. "All companies would do well to adopt the best practices demonstrated by these firms, which are committed to advancing women in the workplace."
KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm, sponsored PINK's Top Companies for Women and assisted PINK in compiling data from a 100-question survey of U.S. companies. KPMG agreed not to enter the competition to maintain fairness.
Why name top companies for women? Because corporate America is still a long way from parity when it comes to senior-level leadership, Good says. Among the Top 500 companies last year, for example, women represented 15.6 percent of corporate officers and 9.9 percent of the pipeline into those positions, according to Catalyst. In addition, women held 6.7 percent of top-earning jobs in 2006.
About PINK
PINK magazine features a new generation of America's most influential women who are doing great things in their work and in their lives – redefining success in the 21st century. Published seven times in 2007, PINK offers editorial content from award-winning writers and columnists in America's only national magazine dedicated exclusively to women's professional growth.
Top Women in Business
Top 50 (From the Oct. 13, 2008 issue)
From http://www.ywca-scv.org, 3/8/08: Honoring Silicon Valley's Executive Women - Women and Work Awards Executive women nominated by leading companies and organizations in the Silicon Valley must meet the following rigorous criteria:
2008 HONOREES
Katharine Augason, Susan Autio, Sr. Director Engineering & Mfg Development, DURECT Corporation
Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, Jeanette Blomberg, Pati Boucard, Gay Brasher, Susan Bukunt, Nancy Bussani, Sheryl Chamberlain, Laura Clayton, Janet Collinson, Cheryl Cook, Helyn Corcos, Seham El-Diwany, M.D., Stephanie Fohn, Alana Forrest, Beverly Glasser, Andrea Gomez, Paula Hamm, Erin Hintz, Dr. Johanna VanderMolen, Tina Jones, Judy Kay, Siobhan Kenney, Noreen Krall, Amy Laden, Julie Larsen, Kristina Lauraitis, Elaine Lennox, Jane Light, Jackie Lowther, Sandra Mahadwar, Debra Martucci, Debra Matsuhiro, Mary McDougall, Ellen McKissock, Cindi Moreland, Donna Morris, Mika Murakami, Barbara Murphy, Lori Pouquette, Rebecca Ranninger, Karin Roache, Janis Schneider, Mary Simon, Jolene Smith, Mary Solseng, Karen Tegan Padir, Beverly Tyrrell, Taiyin Yang, Ph.D., From Pink Magazine, March/April 2008: 2/28/08
Top 15 Women in Business 2008 – "The Innovators"
From Michelle Gass, just promoted to senior vice president of global strategy at Starbucks, to Union Pacific Railroad's Diane Duren, who developed a new train route that delivers millions in revnue annually, these women create meaningful change in their organizations – the kind that births new generations of products and has an immediate impact on the bottom line. "The Innovators" are: Methodology: Read this story in the March.April issue of PINK, on newsstands now. |
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