PathWays PA E-Newsletter - 15 November 2010

Federal Policy Update


ACT ON EQUAL PAY TODAY!

This Wednesday, November 17th, the Senate will vote on an important bill for families across the nation - the Paycheck Fairness Act. Please take action now by calling your Senators and asking them to ensure that all workers have access to equal pay!

The Paycheck Fairness Act would close important gaps in current law to ensure that employees can compare salaries without retaliation, to improve wage data collection, and to put remedies for wage discrimination on an equal level with racial and ethnic discrimination.

Why is paycheck fairness important for families? Currently, women earn 77 cents for each dollar earned by men. The pay gap adds up to an average of nearly $11,000 per year, or enough money to buy groceries for eight months. With women acting as the bread-winner or co-bread-winner for two-thirds of families, that additional money could support many households in need.

Please contact your Senators and urge them to support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO SUPPORT CHILD CARE AND HEAD START

Today Congress will be returning to Washington. There is a limited time to ensure that Recovery Act funding is not cut for child care and Head Start.

Join child advocates on November 15th for a national day to take action. If the program is cut, as many as 300,000 children nationally and 9,000 in Pennsylvania could be dropped from child care and Head Start. There is also a strong need to create the Early Learning Challenge Fund, which will encourage states to do even better for young children and families.

Congress is considering appropriations bills that could go backwards in spending for child care and Head Start, and would lose the Early Learning Challenge Fund.
Urge your members of Congress to move forward and fund the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start, and the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

Please contact your members of Congress today. Below is a sample script you may use in making your calls.

My name is (name) and I am calling from (city, state) and I am (your role). Please do not drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure that continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included. We are counting on you here in Pennsylvania. Thank you.

RALLY FOR GIRLS’ SPORTS CAMPAIGN

For girls, sports are about more than winning a game. Girls who play sports are healthier, more confident, less likely to engage in risky behaviors, and do better in high school and beyond. We’d like to think that any student has a fair shot to play sports, but sadly that is not the case. School districts across the country are denying girls an equal chance to play in high school.

You can help by joining the National Women’s Law Center’s new campaign focused on girls in high school: Rally for Girls’ Sports: She’ll Win More than a Game!

Sign the Rally for Girls’ Sports pledge today to ensure girls are getting a fair shot to play!

Girls are missing out. In these critical educational years, we need to come together as advocates, parents, coaches, and students to make sure that girls are treated fairly. Many girls want to play and they have what it takes to succeed — they just need the opportunities.

Please join with the National Women's Law Center to rally for girls’ sports. Every girl who plays will win more than a game.

State Policy Update

ASK HOUSE LEADERS TO EXTEND THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The Pennsylvania House has decided to come back into session today to vote on legislation. However, a one-day session will not be long enough to pass some important legislation, including the Industry Partnership bill (SB 1409).

This bill, which has broad bipartisan support, needs additional session days so it can be reported out of the Labor Relations Committee and added to the House calendar. With your help, this important legislation can move forward.

Please call your legislator and House leadership to ask them to extend the session for a few more days. If you support Industry Partnerships, your message to them can be:

"The Industry Partnership program has proven itself to be valuable to Pennsylvania's businesses and employees. Please extend the session for a few more days so that SB 1409 and other important legislation can be considered this year."

In addition to calling your legislators, you can also customize an email to them about the importance of the Industry Partnership program.

Information/Events


VIGIL FOR THE UNEMPLOYED - EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO END NOVEMBER 30

The Extended Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program will end on November 30. Without an extension millions will exhaust their benefits during the holiday season and many millions more in the months ahead. Please join the Philadelphia Unemployment Project at a vigil for unemployed Americans to call for continuation of the EUC program until unemployment comes down and jobs are available.

WHEN: Monday, November 22nd at 12 Noon
WHERE: Arch Street Methodist Church, Broad and Arch Streets, Philadelphia

83,000 Pennsylvania workers will exhaust their checks during December alone if the extension is not passed. Unemployment rates remain nearly as high as they have been at any time since the Great Depression in both the nation and city.

If you cannot make it to the Vigil please sign an online petition urging Congress to renew these critical unemployment benefits programs.

FAMILY FINANCIAL PLAY PACK 

The National Endowment for Financial Education and the National Center for Family Literacy have created the Family Financial Play Pack.

This is a resource that is easy to print and use with your child to help them learn about counting, saving, borrowing, earning and giving dollars & cents as well as banking and credit. These simple activities and concepts are presented in a fun and child-friendly way to help parents provide early financial education for their children.

If you have older children, another helpful resource is PathWays PA’s Keeping it Real: Teen Finances. This guide discusses what teens should understand about their finances, and assists them in planning for their future.

PathWays PA Free Courses

PATHWAYS PA OFFERS EXPEDITED CAREER PATH TO EMT

PathWays PA is offering eligible job seekers free education and training to achieve certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

The need for EMTs is driven by the demand for services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Successful candidates will have:

• Achieved qualifying scores in math and reading skills
• Clean criminal background check
• No back problems or physical restrictions
• The ability to lift 125 pounds 33 inches off the ground and carry for 10 feet
• Willingness to working with and touch all people
• A valid drivers license (or the ability to obtain one during training)
• Ability to pay attention to detail and flexibility to change course as circumstances warrant
• Willingness to work different shifts and weekends

If the above qualifications are met, then an individual may be eligible for the training, which includes:

• 6 weeks of Math/English Skills building classes at PathWays PA’s Holmes office
• CPR Training and Certification through Delaware County Community College
• 137 hours of EMT training over 14 weeks
• Testing for EMT Certification
• Career coaching support

For more information please attend the following information session:

• Wednesday, November 17th at 10:00 AM at Delaware County Community College (901 South Media Line Road Media, PA). Please call 610-723-1220 to reserve a seat.

Please feel free to share this information with your clients and networks. For more information please contact Jennifer Oglesbee or Pam Reid at 610-543-5022 or joglesbee@pathwayspa.org.

NEW CLASS TIMES - PATHWAYS PA OFFERS ENGLISH LANGUAGE/CIVICS COURSES

PathWays PA is offering a course meant for those interested in learning and improving their English while also covering:

• United States History
• Work Skills
• Citizenship Process
• Employment
• Math
• Reading

WHEN: Mondays & Wednesdays – 9:30 – 12:00 OR Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:00 – 7:30
WHERE: Darby Borough Hall, 821 Summit Street, Darby PA

For more information about the class, please contact Kelly Binder at 610-543-5022 X 227 or kbinder@pathwayspa.org.


Images courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Capitol_-_west_front.jpg,, http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/ / CC BY 2.0, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PAState_Capitol_Back_a_Bit.JPG