Take Action!

By MB -
Telegraphone with operatorLooking for some issues to take action on? You've come to the right place!

Equal Pay: There are several things you can do to support pay equity-
  • Talk to Congress about the Paycheck Fairness Act: The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes in current equal pay legislation and prevent employers from retaliating against workers who voluntarily discuss their pay.  You can contact Congress at http://bit.ly/yHmU62 or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. 
  • Do a Pay Equity Self-Audit: Take the time to make sure your company is abiding by fair pay practices through this self-audit, available at http://bit.ly/c8p6Ca.
  • Talk to Women and Girls About Nontraditional Jobs: One reason for pay inequity is that women often end up in low-paying "pink collar" jobs.  Peer pressure and family pressure are two of the factors that keep women out of nontraditional workforce.  Encouraging women and girls to look into Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) jobs is a way to increase equity down the line, and the younger girls are when you talk to them, the better.  For more information on green jobs for women, read this new publication by the Women's Bureau: Why Green is Your Color at http://1.usa.gov/wLkcUN. 
  • Teach Women and Girls (and Yourself!) to Negotiate: Women are more likely to negotiate for others than for themselves.  Yet moving forward at work requires negotiation over wages, benefits, and job opportunities.  Learn more about negotiating and share your tips in the comments!
Work/Family: Childcare and paid sick days are important factors in the worklives of many families, especially for women:
  • Talk to the Legislature About the State Budget: The 2012-2013 Pennsylvania budget cuts funding for subsidized childcare programs that help many women afford to go to work.  You can call your legislators and let them know what you think about the cuts.  Visit  http://www.legis.state.pa.us/ to find your legislator.
  • Support Paid Sick Days for Workers: Over 40% of all workers in the country have no access to paid sick days.  Find out more at paidsickdays.org and earnedsickdaysphilly.com.
Asset testing: The current asset testing proposal would set asset limits for food stamps at $5,500 for most families and $9,000 for adults over age 60.  While this limit has been raised from the initial amount, you can still call your legislators to discuss the asset limits at 800-515-8134. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PathWays PA E-Newsletter: August 6, 2012

By -
Image
Federal Policy Updates  CONGRESS IN AGREEMENT TO WORK ON A 6-MONTH CONTINUING RESOLUTION Last week House and Senate leaders announced that a deal has been reached to pass a 6-month continuing resolution to fund the federal government through next spring. Details of the agreement have not yet been made public, but the continuing resolution will reportedly fund federal agencies at current spending levels. With both chambers of Congress on summer recess, a vote on the agreement will likely be held in September, before the end of the fiscal year. If this agreement is enacted it will ensure that the government will not be shutdown at the end of September when the current spending plan ends. HELP MOVE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT FORWARD The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) needs to be reauthorized to ensure the continuation of vital, life-saving programs and laws. It was the first piece of American legislation that recognized the pervasive nature of domestic violence,
Read more

Mini-Budget Update-Supporting the American Community Survey

By MB -
Image
(via The Census Project ) Next Tuesday, June 19 is an important date to mark on your calendar. The Congressional Joint Economic Committee is holding a public hearing on the economic impact of eliminating the American Community Survey (ACS) at 2:30 p.m., in Room 210 of the Canon House Office Building. Witnesses that will be speaking in opposition to the move to eliminate the ACS are Vincent Barabba, former director of the Census Bureau in two GOP administrations and Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Association of General Contractors and also representing the National Association of Business Economists. It is very important that we pack the congressional hearing room! If you cannot come, please urge your colleages to come. If you represent a non-DC organization contact your friends in Washington and urge them to attend. Also on Tuesday of next week some of our congressional supporters will be holding a noon press conference in the so-called House Triangle right outside the Cap
Read more

Overlooked and Undercounted: Struggling to Make Ends Meet in Pennsylvania

By -
Image
Census data tells us that 13% of Pennsylvania households live in poverty. In reality, even more households don’t have the income they need to reach self-sufficiency. One in four Pennsylvania households – over 846,000 – lack enough income to cover just the necessities. Since 1997, PathWays PA has worked with Dr. Diana Pearce and the University of Washington to calculate  The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania . Over the last 23 years,  The Self-Sufficiency Standard of Pennsylvania  has documented the continuing increase in the real cost of living, illuminating the economic crunch experienced by so many families today. Since 2010, PathWays PA and the University of Washington have also issued three versions of the  Overlooked and Undercounted  report, which looks at the number of households living above and below self-sufficiency. You can now use the interactive materials below to find out what it takes to be self-sufficient in your county. Click here  to read the 2020 O
Read more