Archive for the 'Portia Wu' Category

Time to Support Older Americans and their Caregivers, Not Undermine Them

Published on May 31, 2011 in Portia Wu and Work & Family. 1 Comment

Portia Wu, Vice President, NPWF

Respect your elders. Many of us have been given that advice by our parents, grandparents, teachers and mentors for as long as we can remember. So why don’t our public policies better address the needs of our country’s seniors and their families, and why do some lawmakers seem poised to dismantle the policies that older Americans rely on?

May was Older Americans Month – a time to honor the seniors in our lives for the important roles they play in our communities and families. Sadly, many older Americans today are not living the comfortable post-retirement lives they hoped for and expected. Tough economic times and fast-rising prices have cost them their savings and made it infinitely harder for many to make ends meet. Some are depending on loved ones for the care they need to age in the homes and communities they love, but their caregivers can’t help as much as they would like because they, themselves, are struggling to meet the demands of their jobs and their families with no paid time away from work.

Everyone suffers because workers in our country lack the basic workplace protections that allow them to hold jobs and be family caregivers. Common sense policies like paid sick days and paid family leave can make it possible for workers to provide elder care to ill or frail loved ones – but too many jobs fail to offer paid leave, and the country lacks a national standard.

For the caregivers of older adults, this can pose enormous challenges. There are at least 43.5 million caregivers of adults over 50 in this country, and most of them have paying jobs in addition to their caregiving responsibilities. Working caregivers’ responsibilities can become unmanageable when times are tough and employers fail to provide flexible work schedules and paid sick time or paid family leave. Too many caregivers are being forced to choose between their loved ones’ health and their own paycheck when an elderly parent or relative suffers an injury or serious illness.

The absence of sensible family friendly policies also penalizes seniors who want or need to hold jobs to help support themselves later in life. Older adults are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions requiring regular care, including diabetes, asthma and hypertension. Nine in 10 adults over age 65 are living with at least one chronic condition and 77 percent have at least two. In order to stay healthy, productive and in the workforce, older adults need to be able to manage their health through routine doctor appointments, treatments and preventive care. Without workplace policies that enable them to do so, they have to choose between health care and financial security.

That is an impossible choice – one nobody should have to make. That’s why it is so disturbing that, instead of ensuring that workplaces adopt family friendly policies, some lawmakers are recklessly putting programs that are critical to seniors – like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security – on the chopping block. Dismantling these programs is dangerous and would cause great harm to seniors in this country.

National Partnership President Debra L. Ness recently said that the future for older Americans isn’t looking pretty. She couldn’t be more right, of course, but we can improve the picture by abandoning plans for irresponsible cuts and adopting family friendly policies that help workers hold jobs and care for family members who need care and support.

As Older Americans Month comes to an end, we should all think about the ways we can support the seniors in our lives. Now is the time to adopt policies that make it possible for people of any age to hold jobs and care for family members; and now is the time to protect – not slash – the programs seniors rely on.

Women and Families of Color Cannot Wait for Equal Pay

Published on April 12, 2011 in Portia Wu and Workplace Fairness. 0 Comments

Portia Wu, Vice President, NPWF

It’s Equal Pay Day. Today, we recognize that women have had to work nearly a quarter of the year to make the same amount as their male counterparts did last year. On average, women who work full time in the United States are still paid $10,622 less per year than full-time working men. That number is appalling, but the wage gap is far worse for many women and families of color:

African American women who work full time are paid $18,514 less than white men who work full time. For Latino women, the gap is an astonishing $23,806. Closing this gap would have life-changing consequences, particularly in tough economic times like these.

Consider this: If the wage gap were eliminated, African American women who work full time could afford an additional three years’ worth of food, 12 months of mortgage and utility payments, 22 months of rent, more than five years of family health insurance premiums or more than 6,500 gallons of gas. Latino women could afford an additional 4 years’ worth of food, 16 months of mortgage and utility payments, 28 months of rent, almost seven years of family health insurance premiums, or more than 8,700 gallons of gas. Without question, the wage gap has a significant impact on the economic security of working women of color and their families.

Closing the gap is more important than ever. Women of color are recovering from the incredible harm done by the recession and the majority continue to be sole or significant breadwinners in their families. As a result, when our incomes are depressed by discrimination and unequal wages, our families and communities suffer.

The wage gap means that every month working mothers in our communities must struggle to decide which is more important: the electric bill or their families’ health insurance payments; the rent or gasoline to get to work. Closing the wage gap won’t prevent all of these situations but, when women are paid more fairly for their work, many will be able to avoid these impossible choices. Tens of millions of working women will be able to rest a little easier each night.

Leaders within our communities have already been vocal and active supporters of equal pay. Betty Dukes and Edith Arana have taken their wage discrimination case all the way to the Supreme Court. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D – District of Columbia) has been a long-time champion of equal pay legislation. U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is committed to closing the wage gap and ensuring equity in the workplace. And we are fortunate to have a champion in President Obama, who has made equal pay a priority – from signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act as his first major piece of legislation to pressing for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act.

It’s time for all members of Congress to follow their example. And it’s time for all of us to let them know that it’s important for them to promote economic security for all women, especially women of color. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which was re-introduced today in recognition of Equal Pay Day, is their opportunity. The bill is critically important and should be a priority for anyone who believes in equality and workplace fairness. Women and families of color cannot afford to wait any longer for equal pay. The time is now.

A Historic Tuesday in the Fight for Fair Pay

Published on March 29, 2011 in Portia Wu and Workplace Fairness. 1 Comment

Portia Wu, Vice President, NPWF

It’s fitting that the landmark pay discrimination case, Wal-Mart v. Dukes, is being argued before the Supreme Court today, Tuesday, March 29th. Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the year women must work to match the amount paid to men in the previous year, falls on a Tuesday. Tuesday is also how far into the week women must work to catch up with what their male counterparts were paid the week before. And today happens to be the last Tuesday of Women’s History Month – a time when we celebrate the women who have led the way in the fight for equal rights, reflect on how far we’ve come, and renew our commitment to eliminating the barriers to equality.

Today is a historic day in the struggle for fair pay and equal rights for women. For more than 10 years, Betty Dukes and 1.6 million current and former female Wal-Mart employees have been fighting for their right to challenge unfair pay in court, arguing that the nation’s largest private employer engaged in widespread pay and promotion discrimination. The Supreme Court will be deciding whether or not the case – the largest class action lawsuit in U.S. history – can proceed.

The women of Wal-Mart represent the tens of millions of working women in this country who suffer from discrimination in the workplace. Women are nearly half of the labor force and are the sole or co-breadwinners in six out of 10 households. Yet, more than four and a half decades after the enactment of the Equal Pay Act, they are still paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to men. For African American and Latino women, the numbers are even worse: 62 cents and 52 cents, respectively. Every time women are shortchanged, the negative impact ripples throughout their families, communities and our economy. At its core, that is what the Wal-Mart case is really about: Whether or not women who have been shortchanged have the right to challenge their employers. Sadly, the case has been stalled by the company’s ‘divide and conquer’ strategy.

If the Court rules that the case cannot proceed, more than a million women may be denied the right to seek a remedy for the systemic discrimination they may have suffered. The outcome is important both for the Wal-Mart women and their families, but also for every working woman in the country who needs fair pay.

No matter what happens, the Wal-Mart case has reinvigorated the fight for fair pay. By raising awareness of the prevalence of pay discrimination – an issue that the National Partnership has been working on since the beginning – the case has inspired many women and men to speak up. Women and men across the country have been offering their support for the women of Wal-Mart and sharing their own stories of discrimination. More than 2,000 of you sent moving words of support to Betty Dukes and the women of Wal-Mart, and many more have been engaging through social media.

The timing of this energy and renewed commitment is crucial. Equal Pay Day, Tuesday, April 12th, is only two weeks away. This year, we await the re-introduction of the Paycheck Fairness Act – federal legislation that would get us one step closer to equal pay for equal work through balanced protections for employers and employees. Just this month, the president reaffirmed his commitment to passage of the bill. In light of the data on the wage gap, and the countless stories of women throughout the country who have suffered from pay discrimination, passing the Paycheck Fairness Act this year is critically important.

So, this Tuesday, as we near the end of Women’s History Month and stand with the incredibly courageous, dedicated women of Wal-Mart, let us take inspiration from the fair pay champions who have come before us, as well as the heroes who have committed themselves to the fight today. Just like Betty Dukes and the women of Wal-Mart, we cannot – and will not – give up. Let’s keep the pride, energy and commitment we feel today with us as we continue the fight for fair pay and equal employment practices, until every women gets a fair shake in the workforce.

On the FMLA Anniversary, Let’s Focus on the Unmet Needs of Working Families

Published on February 5, 2011 in Portia Wu and Work & Family. 0 Comments

Portia Wu, Vice President, NPWF

18 years. That’s how long the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has been in place. It was the first bill President Clinton signed into law and it remains one of the proudest accomplishments of his presidency.

The FMLA is the first national law designed to help working families meet the dual demands of work and family. Incredibly, as I write this today, it’s also the last.

As we celebrate this anniversary and reflect on how far we have come, we must renew our commitment to ensuring all working families have basic job protections so they can meet their health needs. Today, many do not: More than 75 million workers still don’t have family and medical leave protections. Millions more can’t afford to take the unpaid leave the FMLA makes possible.

At a time when workers are struggling to manage responsibilities at work and at home—and when losing a job often means six months or more of unemployment—we must redouble our efforts to ensure workers have leave to meet key family health needs. The FMLA was an historic step, but it was just a first step. We must continue the progress.

Since 1993, millions of workers have been able to use the FMLA to take unpaid job-protected time away from work to recover from illness, care for a sick family member or bond with a new child. The legislation has allowed workers to keep their health insurance and their jobs when they need leave.

In recent years, we have seen some improvements. Members of the military, their families and flight crews now have protection under the federal FMLA. Some state leave laws have recognized more family caregiving relationships and covered more workers. Last year, the Department of Labor interpreted the law to allow some grandparents and some lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents to take unpaid time off to care for a new or ill child. In addition, after years of advocacy by the National Partnership and allies, the Department of Labor will collect new data on FMLA access and usage in 2011 so that we can see how the law is working—and what improvements may be needed.

Those are important steps, but workers need more. At the national level, we urgently need to extend FMLA job-protected leave to people who work part-time and for smaller companies, to siblings, grandchildren and others.

And we need to make paid leave available. Many families cannot afford to take unpaid leave. That’s why access to paid family and medical leave is so critical. California and New Jersey have paid family leave insurance programs that have made a tremendous difference for working families’ economic security, with a minimal cost for both businesses and workers. California’s program—the first in the nation—has recently made headlines as a big success. A major report released last month revealed that an overwhelming majority of businesses and workers are benefiting from the program. New Jersey is seeing similarly positive results.

America needs a national paid family leave insurance system or, at the very least, we should dedicate funds to support innovative states that are developing their own paid leave programs.

The National Partnership was the driving force behind passage of the FMLA all those years ago. Today, we’re calling on members of Congress to take the next big step toward becoming a family-friendly nation. Whether it’s to care for a new child, to deal with one’s own illness or to meet the health needs of a family member, all workers will need paid family and medical leave—and employers and our country will benefit when we provide it. The time to do this is now.

Real Family Values

Published on January 25, 2011 in Portia Wu and Work & Family. 2 Comments

Megan Renner, Exec. Director, USBC

Portia Wu, Vice President, NPWF

Every year roughly four million women give birth in the United States, and most of them (more than three-quarters) start out breastfeeding. Study after study has affirmed the value of breastfeeding in protecting both mothers and children from a host of acute and chronic diseases and conditions, saving billions in health care costs. Breastfeeding mothers also report feeling more closely bonded with their babies—a factor which may lower the risk of postpartum depression.

Recognizing the important health, psychosocial, economic, and environmental effects of breastfeeding, today the Surgeon General called on the entire nation to support breastfeeding mothers. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding sets forth key action steps and strategies for health care providers, employers, insurers, policymakers, researchers, and the community at large to remove the barriers that prevent so many mothers from reaching their personal breastfeeding goals.

For too long, women have had to stop breastfeeding sooner than they wanted to, or have been discouraged from even starting. Returning to work can present a particularly challenging hurdle to breastfeeding success. Without paid maternity leave, many mothers are forced to make a rapid return to their jobs after the birth of a child. To add insult to injury, many then can’t express breast milk at work. Missing even one needed pumping session can have several undesirable consequences, including pain, inflammation, infection, and decreased milk supply. Some women resort to restrooms or hide out in their parked cars, under pressure and without the time, equipment and sanitary conditions they need.

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action recognizes the need to address barriers to breastfeeding—including these workplace barriers. This is more important than ever, at a time when many more families are relying on mothers’ incomes. We applaud the Surgeon General for shining a spotlight on the importance of breastfeeding, and the policies and environmental changes that can make it easier for women to do so.

Fortunately, breastfeeding is already becoming more manageable, due to a provision in health care reform that guarantees millions of working new moms the right to pump at work. The Obama Administration is implementing this provision in ways that will ensure that as many moms, babies and families as possible will benefit.

The Affordable Care Act finally gives millions of nursing moms the support and protection they need: the right to privacy and reasonable break time to pump at work. The law targets hourly workers in industries including retail, food service and factories who often find it most difficult to take breaks and find safe, private places to pump at work. (Because the new provision amended existing labor laws, most salaried workers are not covered, although they may have protections under state law.)

In late December, the Department of Labor issued guidance clarifying the law and its protections, and requesting information and comments from the public. For the mother who otherwise would have to rush to her car during her break to pump, or negotiate for break time with her employer, the new protections are life-changing and long overdue.

These changes benefit businesses as well. Workplace breastfeeding support is a “win-win-win” for employers, mothers and babies. Employers that support nursing mothers not only help their employees transition back to work, but also reduce turnover, absenteeism, and health care costs, and increase employee satisfaction, loyalty and productivity. It makes sense: When working mothers’ needs are met, they are better able to meet the dual demands of work and motherhood.

The new law is a tremendous step forward, but we believe all working moms who are breastfeeding should have break time and appropriate spaces to pump at work. So we are delighted that the Surgeon General is spearheading this effort to improve support for breastfeeding mothers. President Obama is also leading the way, by directing federal agencies to extend the right to pump at work to all new mothers, not just those who are paid on an hourly basis. This sets an important example for state and local governments as well as private sector employers.

The Obama Administration has taken concrete action to support new mothers and make it easier for them to function in their dual roles as both caregivers and breadwinners. Today’s Call to Action reinforces the critical need to ensure breastfeeding is truly an option for all mothers. Now, we call on all employers to take the basic steps to make it possible for new mothers to breastfeed their babies. That would be real family values at work.

Portia Wu is a vice president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. Megan Renner is executive director of the United States Breastfeeding Committee.

Paid Sick Days: An Important Step toward Economic Security for Women of Color

Published on December 10, 2010 in Portia Wu and Work & Family. 2 Comments

Portia Wu, Vice President

We often talk about the importance of a paid sick days standard for families’ economic security and our public health—but paid sick days are also an issue of basic fairness. That was a key topic at Monday night’s panel discussion on the disproportionate impact the lack of paid sick days has on low-income communities and women of color. The event was hosted by the Women of Color Policy Network at New York University.

It was a lively discussion that underscored the appalling fact that tens of millions of workers in the United States don’t have a single paid sick day. These workers risk their economic security when illness strikes or family emergencies occur. Women of color have it even tougher. They’re more likely to hold jobs that don’t have paid sick days. In addition, women of color are consistently paid less than the national average—and are more likely to be both the primary caregiver and the main breadwinner for their families.

Particularly in this economy, with unemployment high and money and jobs scarce, women of color simply can’t afford to take time off work to meet their families’ health needs without the protection of paid sick days.

Monday night’s discussion made clear that for women of color, who already face economic inequality and health disparities, paid sick days are more important than ever. We need to do more to highlight the real-world effects of our nation’s failure to adopt paid sick days on these communities. We’re excited to see the results of important research the Women of Color Policy Network is doing on this issue.

We face a lot of challenges, but we must continue the fight for economic security and justice for all American families.

Continuing the March toward Equality

Published on November 18, 2010 in Portia Wu and Workplace Fairness. 28 Comments
Portia Wu, Vice President.

Portia Wu, Vice President

A few weeks ago, voters sent a clear message: They want Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to address the issues facing working families. But when Senators took their first vote after returning to Washington, they missed the chance to do just that.  Yesterday’s vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act was a failed opportunity and a real disappointment for all of us who care about fairness, women’s progress, and economic security for working families.

Equal pay for equal work is one of the most fundamental American principles and this legislation was the perfect chance to demonstrate bipartisan consensus for a just and popular bill after a divisive election season. Instead, we saw partisan posturing that will keep America’s women from taking a critical step toward greater economic security for themselves and their families.

As most of you already know, the Senate could not muster enough votes to end the filibuster against the Paycheck Fairness Act because every Republican voted against it.  The legislation had bipartisan support in the House, but not this week in the Senate.

This procedural roadblock will have real consequences for working families by denying them badly needed remedies for the discriminatory pay practices that still plague our workplaces 45 years after the Equal Pay Act became law. There is no question that this vote has stalled progress on women’s wages, family budgets and economic growth.

But this is not the end of the battle. Over the past few weeks, tens of thousands of supporters across the country sent messages to tell Congress that fair pay is important to them. We are stronger than we have ever been, and determined to win this fight.

The good news is that fair pay is also a top priority for President Obama. He met with representatives from women’s organizations, including me, immediately after the vote yesterday.  It was encouraging to hear him underscore his deep personal commitment to the issue, and to talk about next steps.

The Paycheck Fairness Act had overwhelming public support. We will make sure that this fight continues until the legislation is law. As Debra Ness said in her statement following yesterday’s vote: “Critical advances for women have never come quickly or easily in this country, but they always come.  We will achieve fair pay for women in this country. We must continue our march toward equality.”

The Gap that Keeps on Giving: Paycheck Unfairness Hurts in Retirement Too

Published on October 7, 2010 in Portia Wu and Workplace Fairness. 0 Comments
Portia Wu, Vice President

Portia Wu, Vice President

It is well-documented that the wage gap hurts women and their families by denying them the fair wages that would help them pay for essential items like groceries, gasoline, and rent or mortgage payments. But the pay gap hurts women long after they have left the workforce, too.

The 77 cent wage gap adds up to $430,000 less for full-time women workers over a career. That’s $430,000 less that a woman can use not only to support her family but also to support herself in retirement. Not only that -­ but over time those wages could have been invested, with additional returns for retirement savings: a Wall Street Journal piece compared hypothetical male and female managers and found that, if the male manager earned $350,000 more than the female manage did over 15 years, he’d also end up saving 23 percent more for retirement if both contributed 10% of their income to their retirement funds each year.

Pensions, too, are based on wages, so the wage gap also carries over into retirement by reducing the funds a woman will receive from her employer pension plan. The average annual pension income for women over age 65 is only $12,856, compared with $19,508 for men – and the wage gap is a good part of the reason.

As Lilly Ledbetter said about the wage discrimination she faced, “It affected me into retirement because my retirement was based on what I earned…  And my Social Security is also much less than what I should have, because it is also based on what I earned while working. So I won’t only be a second class citizen in their eyes for the time I worked, but I will be for the rest of my life.”

There are some actions women and families can take to address this and help keep women out of poverty in old age. But it’s fair to look to our government, too.  And this fall, when Congress comes back after the elections, let’s ask members to take steps to protect women in Social Security and equal pay.

Last week Senator Reid laid down a petition to start debate on the Paycheck Fairness Act.  The Senate will vote on this when it returns. Beating the filibuster and passing this bill is one way to address the wage gap that is penalizing millions of us.  Another is to ensure that Social Security continues to be there, and gives women a fair break.

Five ways to show your grandparents you care

Published on September 14, 2010 in Campaign for Better Care, Portia Wu, Work & Family and Workplace Fairness. 0 Comments
Portia Wu, Vice President

Portia Wu, Vice President

Sunday was National Grandparents Day – and this year, we can do more for our grandparents than send candy or flowers. Let’s take action to improve the health and economic security of our grandparents — and all of America’s grandparents. Here are five things you can do to show grandparents that you care:

Protect Social Security. Our grandparents have worked for a lifetime and they deserve to retire in dignity. Taking away their economic security by pushing back the retirement age — or cutting the benefits they count on — will hurt seniors and all families. Let the Deficit Commission know that our budget shouldn’t be balanced on the backs of hard-working seniors. Sign the petition »

Support the Paycheck Fairness Act. Too many women in this country have worked hard all their lives, and taken home lower wages because of discrimination. Pay discrimination costs women for a lifetime, reducing wages as well as the savings, pensions and Social Security benefits that we rely on in old age. Tell the Senate that it’s time to vote for equal pay. Send a message »

Join the Campaign for Better Care. More than three in four Americans age 55 or older (78 percent) are dealing with at least one chronic health condition like diabetes, heart disease or arthritis. The Campaign for Better Care is working to ensure that health reform is implemented in ways that will give the older patients who rely on the system most the coordinated, quality care they deserve. Join the Campaign »

Recognize that grandparents are key caregivers, and often need care themselves. Grandparents are a vital link in strong families and increasingly, they help care for our nation’s children. Their role has only increased during this recession, as more grandparents are serving as primary caregivers and more grandchildren are living with their grandparents. But too often our laws fail to recognize grandparents’ central role. The Department of Labor has taken important steps that will help some families, but we need laws that give workers the time they need to care for their seriously ill grandparents or grandchildren. It’s time for our country to do more! Read our fact sheet »

Pass the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act. The Supreme Court has made it harder for older workers who face discrimination on the job to prove they’ve been discriminated against because of their age. Learn more »

What you shouldn’t have to expect when you’re expecting

Published on July 23, 2010 in Portia Wu, Work & Family and Workplace Fairness. 0 Comments
Portia Wu, Vice President

Portia Wu, Vice President

Owning your own home has long been a central part of the American Dream.  It’s as American as baseball, apple pie and mom.  But according to this column in the New York Times, a lot of moms and moms-to-be are getting short shrift.

On top of their other worries, expectant mothers and women on maternity leave may face another hurdle: Being turned down for mortgages. Some lenders appear to be basing their denials on the retro belief that new moms just don’t go back to work.

It’s against the law to use gender-based stereotypes to make mortgage decisions. And, guess what else?  Their assumptions are wrong!  Here are the facts:

  •    In 6 out of 10 families, the woman is the primary breadwinner or a significant breadwinner. Because of the recession, hundreds of thousands more families with young children rely entirely on women’s wages because only mom is working. Women work—and women go back to work—because their families need their income to survive.
  • Even before the recession, four in five employed first-time moms were back at work within a year of having a child, and the majority went back within three months.   Learn more.

Here’s some good news: The Obama Administration has announced that it will investigate lenders who may be breaking the law and disqualifying women because they are pregnant or on leave. We’re glad that this Administration has jumped on the problem, and hope these investigations are only one part of its response. It seems some lenders, and others who set the standards, need some serious education so they stop penalizing pregnant women and new families!

Not only that, but we think a comprehensive effort to combat discrimination against pregnant women and new moms is long overdue.  Because while this news about mortgages is shocking, many of us just aren’t that surprised.  After all, claims of pregnancy discrimination in the workplace have been skyrocketing for years now.

New  moms get lots of advice about what to eat and what not to drink, and how to decorate the nursery and get ready for the baby.  Maybe it’s time we share some advice with employers, bankers, lenders and other institutions about how to treat pregnant women and new moms fairly!

Have you, or has someone you know, experienced problems getting a mortgage because of pregnancy or the birth of a child? Have you experienced other forms of pregnancy discrimination, at work or at school? Tell us your story, so we can share it with the Administration.

Or learn more about your rights under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the laws that protect women from unfair loans and credit decisions.