PathWays PA Policy Blog

Today I had the opportunity to present materials on paid leave and financial resources at a cancer navigators meeting. We're putting these materials online so more people can access them. Special thanks to PathWays PA (in particular Paula Staton) and Family Values @ Work for their research and support! Laws that help patients and caregivers at work Financial Resources for patients and caregivers Resources for staff and counselors to share Put the FMLA to Work for You (PS- please remember that bit.ly links have to be typed exactly as they are, including capitalization, to work!)

We Won’t Wait is a national movement of women taking our families’ concerns from the kitchen table to the voting booth, and transforming our communities one conversation at a time. We Won’t Wait represents and advocates for women of color, low-income women, and immigrant women across the issues that impact our lives and seeks to shine a light on the intersection of those issues — from immigration to paid leave, from mass incarceration to voting rights. — to ensure that our voices are the ones setting the agenda and defining the narrative. If you're done waiting for your concerns to take precedence, sign the pledge saying you will: Call for a comprehensive economic agenda that spells real change for you and your family Engage your community to encourage others to vote so our voices are heard. Commit to making sure the issues that matter to you stay at the top of the agenda after the November election. Sign the pledge today!

As many parents know, a typical American family spends a lot of money on childcare each year. In Pennsylvania, the cost of childcare is often higher than what a family pays in rent each month. One option that some families consider is having a parent leave the workforce entirely in order to care for a child. But until now, there was little research on the financial impact of making that decision. The Center for American Progress  now has a calculator showing the hidden cost of leaving the workforce to provide childcare. The calculator shows the immediate loss (income not earned) as well as the loss in potential wage growth over a career and lost retirement savings. As PBS NewsHour points out , a 26 year old woman earning $50,000 who leaves the workforce for three years to care for a child loses more than $150,000 in salary - she loses over $500,000 in her lifetime in salary, wage growth, retirement benefits, and Social Security.  To test the calculator, I checked...

The Assets & Opportunity Scorecard enables states to compare their performance to other states and the District of Columbia on measures of financial security and household wealth. When it comes to many measures, Pennsylvania ranks right in the middle - some states are better than us, some states are worse. So what's wrong with status quo? Well, here is the impact if Pennsylvania performed as well as the best state (with thanks to the Assets & Opportunity Initiative  for putting this together):

PathWays PA has compiled an extensive list of programs that can meet the needs of many Pennsylvania residents in our updated Financial Resources Guide . This easy-to-use guide can help anyone find the programs they need and includes information on who qualifies for the program and how to apply. The Financial Resources Guide includes links for people who need help paying for childcare, finding health insurance, and much more. There is also contact information listed by county in our County Help Chart . Please let us know what you think! Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 7/7/15 - Summer Food News 9/4/14 - Jobs Are Returning, But Hunger Remains 7/13/13 - PA Agency Offers Food Aid to Low-Income Children

On April 30th, 2014, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) introduced the Getting into Researching, Learning and Studying of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (GIRLS STEM) Act, a bill that would establish a program at the U.S. Department of Education to ensure that more female students have access to and participate in STEM education and training. This program would provide grants to local educational agencies that develop plans to encourage young women to study STEM, educate parents about STEM opportunities for their children, provide training and mentoring opportunities for students, and prepare secondary students for college STEM programs. "When women succeed, we all succeed. With more women in STEM jobs, we'll help grow our economy and make sure we're competitive with the rest of the world," said Congressman McNerney, who is a mathematician and wind energy engineer himself. Women hold less than a quarter of STEM related jobs despite the fact that...

Pennsylvania's House of Representatives may consider a bill that would amend the Public Welfare Code and reinstate a lifetime ban against accessing public assistance for most people with felony drug convictions. This legislation casts too wide of a net and has unintended consequences. While House Bill 222 is intended to target large-scale drug traffickers, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking who have been convicted of drug charges as a result of their abuser's control over them, or those charged with possession with intent to deliver small amounts of drugs, would also be affected. The benefits that these survivors (and their children) would need in order to break free from the control of their abusers would be denied - including Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and food stamps. People currently experiencing domestic abuse most often cite financial instability as the reason for their decision to stay with or return to their abuser. Therefore, ...

As early as today, the US Senate could vote on legislation that would help to close the current wage gap between men and women. The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes that remain in the Equal Pay Act while preventing retaliation against workers who compare their pay. While it has been more than 50 years since the Equal Pay Act was passed, women still face a significant wage gap when compared with men. On average, women earn 77% of the wages that men earn. The money that families lose to the pay gap each year could cover 89 weeks worth of food or 3,000 gallons of gasoline per household. Take action now to show that #WeMatter! Email  or call your senators ASAP to share how you feel about Equal Pay! Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 8/26/14 - #WeMatter on Women's Equality Day: Tweet Storm at 1PM and 9PM 6/11/14 - Join MomsRising & AAUW for a #MomsEqualPay Tweet Chat Tomorrow! 5/3/14 - Join us on Monday! FREE Workshop on Women and Work...

Leanne Brown , a New York University student earning her master's degree in food studies, has published a cookbook for families and individuals living on SNAP (food stamps). The book, called Good and Cheap , is available for free on Leanne's website or can be ordered in hard copy. Good and Cheap  sets out to offer " filling, nourishing and flavorful meals " for the 47 million Americans living on SNAP. Recipes include Tomato Scrambled Eggs, Spicy Green Beans, Mexican Street Corn, and Savory Summer Cobbler. If you use Good and Cheap  or plan to use it, let us know what you think in the comments! If you or someone you know needs food help, there are many resources available to you. In Pennsylvania, you can apply for SNAP (food stamps) online via the  COMPASS  system. Families in southeastern PA can also call PathWays PA at 610-543-5022 for assistance in applying for SNAP. Pennsylvania families can also visit  http://www.foodpantries.org/st/pennsylvania ...

From our friends at Family Values at Work Today we celebrate the 19th amendment, when Congress stopped denying women the right to vote. Of course for decades, women of color were still denied access to the polls. August 26th is about all women who continue to raise their voices in the face of injustice – who say, pay attention, we matter! Today, women across the country are standing up and speaking to lawmakers with a similar message: #WeMatter We are women and families, and the changes we need matter. Women’s economic security matters. Our votes matter. We matter. Pay attention, those running for office. #Wematter isn’t just a hashtag; it’s notice to elected officials that there’s a linked policy agenda that values families and the work they do. And we’re watching. But we can’t do it without you. To raise the floor and remove the barriers for all women and families, we need your help. Here’s what you can do. Ask two friends to sign up to get involved in local, state ...

From our friends at Keystone Progress The Pennsylvania Women and Families Economic Summit will meet in Harrisburg on Friday, May, 30 from 9:00AM to 4:30PM at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Harrisburg to strategize with other Pennsylvanians who care about the economic equality and security of women and families to organize around the local, state and national initiatives to promote these policies. Be a part of the conversation to devise a coordinated state strategy to bring about the common sense policies that support women and families that we need in Pennsylvania. Register here. Attendance is free.

From our friends at Keystone Progress On Friday, May 30 from 9:00AM-4:00PM in Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Women and Families Economic Summit will meet and strategize with other Pennsylvanians who care about the economic equality and security of women and families to organize around the local, state and national initiatives to promote these policies. You can be a part of the conversation to devise a coordinated state strategy to bring about the common sense policies that support women and families that we need in Pennsylvania. GOALS: Gather all groups, advocates and committed Pennsylvanians who work on issues facing women and families in Pennsylvania.  Provide an overview of the current state policies on women's economic equality and security, how they impact Pennsylvanians and what we can do to make them stronger.  Help plan and strategize coordination across various groups and goals. This conversation is most valuable if the key members of each group can be coordin...