E-exchange: October 2007
THE MOMSRISING e-EXCHANGE“A Dialog Among Organizations Working to Build a Family-Friendly America”
October 5, 2007
Circulation: 270
The e-Exchange distribution list includes some of the nation's strongest women's organizations, family advocacy groups, mother's organizations, child advocacy groups, unions, health care organizations, parenting groups, and faith-based organizations as well as academicians, researchers, and writers who are all working to better the lives of mothers and families.
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CONTENTS
B. Spotlight:
- Ledbetter vs. Goodyear
- A Peaceful Revolution: The Huffington Post
- Pumping at the Workplace
C. Child Care: The State of the States (National Women’s Law Center)
D. Afterschool Programs: The State of the States (Afterschool Alliance)
E. Paid Sick Days: The State of the States (Multi-State Working Families Consortium and National Partnership for Women and Families)
F. Paid Family Leave: The State of the States (Multi-State Working Families Consortium and National Partnership for Women and Families)
G. Good Reading
- Bridging the Gaps
- National Polling on Paid Sick Days
- Family Values at Work: It's About Time!
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A. SCHIP: The Fight is On!
On October 3rd, the president vetoed a bill to reauthorize and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). As a result, 6.6 million children could lose health care coverage beginning November 16 and millions more who need health care coverage won't get it at all. With his veto, the president ignored bi-partisan support in Congress and the overwhelming support of the American people.
A broad coalition of organizations including Moveon.org, Families USA, the Children's Alliance, Children's Defense Fund, SEIU, USAction, the National Partnership for Women and Families, MomsRising, and many more are taking action. These organizations jointly submitted a petition with over 1 million signatures in support of SCHIP.
Prior to the veto, MomsRising members emailed in over 60,000 letters to their Congresspeople in support of SCHIP reauthorization and expansion. Members participated in rallies across the country on October 4th to protest the veto, and starting early next week we will be sending messages to Congress that we are counting on them to override the veto. You can see our latest e-outreach on the issue at: http://www.momsrising.org/node/579. Stay tuned! The vote to override the veto is expected to take place in mid-October.
Ledbetter v. Goodyear: Many of our aligned organizations such as the AFL-CIO, the National Women’s Law Center, and NOW have worked to remedy the Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter that limited the rights of workers to bring pay discrimination claims. MomsRising members also emailed 18,099 letters to Congress urging them to vote Yes on H.R. 2831 to reverse the Ledbetter decision. On July 31st, the U.S. House passed the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. MomsRising is now working with other groups to mobilize support for the Senate counterpart bill, the Fair Pay Restoration Act. A Peaceful Revolution: The Huffington Post: As of Sept. 10th, one of our favorite blog sites, the Huffington Post, began partnering with MomsRising to present blogs about work/life issues--“A Peaceful Revolution.” It features the powerful voices of leading writers and thinkers who care deeply about the issues facing families. The first week carried a blog every day: Irma Herrera wrote about equal pay for equal work; John de Graaf wrote about reviving the three-week paid vacation. (This has become a radical concept. Can you imagine!); Mary Ann Mason asked," When is a good time to have a baby?"; and Robert Drago wrote about the growing demand for part-time work and why quality part-time work is a good vision for the future. Ellen Bravo’s “Listen to the Children” was the first of what will be a weekly Tuesday blog. It is wonderful to have these insightful leaders share their vision and help us create the culture change we so badly need. Pumping at the Workplace: Despite the fact that physicians and the government agree that breastfeeding is the healthiest nourishment for infants, there are still hurdles for women who want to breastfeed and pump breast milk. In response to these hurdles, and to several recent stories of women not being allowed to breastfeed, MomsRising members have emailed over 27,972 letters to Congress in support of the Breastfeeding Promotion Act, and over 14,000 members have signed a Statement of Support for Breastfeeding Mothers which says, "Healthcare professionals inform us that breastfeeding is the best possible way to ensure that babies thrive. In turn, we must ensure that breastfeeding mothers are able to breastfeed, and given the time and environment to pump at work or during other professional obligations." You can read more about this issue on our blog at http://www.momsrising.org/node/574; we plan to continue to push this issue forward. (A great round of appreciation to the National Women’s Law Center for providing the following information!) Child care is an essential support for all mothers in the workforce, and help paying for care is critical for low-income mothers who cannot afford the high cost of care on their own. Without adequate child care assistance policies to provide families with the help they need, low-income children are denied critical early learning experiences, parents find it difficult to access child care so they can work, and child care providers—who are often low-income women themselves—face earning less or going out of business. A just released analysis by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) of state child care policies reveals that despite modest progress in some areas, states continue to fall far short of providing low-income parents sufficient support in accessing good-quality child care. The annual report, State Child Care Assistance Policies 2007: Some Steps Forward, More Progress Needed, compares child care assistance policies in 2007 to 2006 and 2001 in four policy areas: income eligibility criteria for families to qualify for assistance, waiting lists for assistance, reimbursement rates for child care providers, and parent copayment requirements. These policy areas determine the quantity and caliber of choices parents have for child care, how many low-income families who need child care assistance qualify, and how affordable child care is for families receiving assistance. Between February 2006 and February 2007, states made some progress on income eligibility and waiting lists. But states made far less progress on copayments and made virtually no progress with respect to reimbursement rates. Most states also continue to be behind where they were in 2001. In 2007, families with income above 150 percent of poverty ($25,755 for a family of three) could not qualify for assistance in more than one-quarter of the states, and families with income above 200 percent of poverty ($34,340 for a family of three) could not qualify for assistance in more than two-thirds of the states. Yet in the majority of communities across the country, a family needs an income equal to at least 200 percent of poverty to meet its basic needs, such as housing and food and other necessities. A lack of sufficient federal funding has led to a decline in the number of children across the country able to receive child care assistance. The administration’s own estimates reveal that 150,000 fewer children received help in 2006 than in 2000. Without additional funding, the administration projects that the number of children receiving assistance will decline by another 300,000 by 2010. The report is available at (this link will open a pdf documet): http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/StateChildCareAssistancePoliciesReport07Web.pdf Action Needed Help improve families’ child care options. Please email your Representative and Senators and ask them to include a $75 million increase for child care in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill for FY 2008. State Developments While, overall, progress on state child care assistance policies has been slow, several states took significant steps forward on child care over the past year, demonstrating that improvements are possible with action by advocates and leadership from policy makers. In addition to the investments in child care discussed below, some of these states, including Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington, also made substantial new investments in prekindergarten. Ohio Ohio made more parents eligible for help in paying for child care by increasing the income eligibility limit for child care assistance from 185 percent of poverty to 200 percent of poverty. The state also provided $112.5 million to raise provider reimbursement rates substantially. In addition, Ohio allocated $12.5 million per year to support a system to rate the quality of child care providers and support quality improvements. In another positive development, the state will provide additional training and assistance to child care providers who care for infants and toddlers. For more information, contact: Amy Swanson Voices for Ohio’s Children Oklahoma The Oklahoma state legislature expanded funding for a pilot early childhood initiative that supports high-quality, full-day/full-year care for children birth through age three from low-income families. The state committed up to $10 million in funding for FY 2008 and requires a match of $15 million from the private sector. The George Kaiser Family Foundation has been a leader in providing private funding for the initiative, along with other philanthropic donors committed to equal opportunity for low-income families. Grants have been awarded to 16 program sponsors across the state that serve almost 1,300 children at 40 sites. To ensure that programs provide high-quality early learning experiences, programs must meet a strong set of standards. In addition, there must be a lead teacher with a bachelor’s degree for every two classrooms, assistant teachers with associate’s degrees, and teacher aides with Child Development Associate credentials. There also must be a family support specialist for every 50 families. For more information, contact: Nancy vonBargen Smart Start Oklahoma nancy.vonbargen@smartstartoklahoma.org Oregon Oregon made a number of major improvements to its child care assistance policies following a contract agreement between the state and recently established unions representing family, friend, and neighbor care providers (who are exempt from licensing) and family child care providers. The state plans to increase its income eligibility limit from 150 percent of poverty ($25,764 a year for a family of three) to 185 percent of poverty ($31,776 a year for a family of three). For the first time in many years, the state will also significantly increase reimbursement rates for providers serving families receiving child care assistance. In addition, the state plans to reduce parent copayments by an average of 20 percent. For more information, contact: Mary Nemmers Oregon Child Care Resource and Referral Network Abby Solomon SEIU Local 503 Faye Zepeda AFSCME—Child Care Providers Together Pennsylvania Pennsylvania increased funding for child care by $96 million, to $360 million. The additional funding will support an increase in reimbursement rates paid to child care providers, a small increase in the number of children receiving child care assistance, and an expansion of Keystone Stars, the state’s system for rating and improving the quality of child care programs. For more information, contact: Terry Casey Pennsylvania Child Care Association Diane P. Barber Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children Utah Utah, which had not updated its reimbursement rates since 2001, increased rates substantially for licensed providers serving families receiving child care assistance, effective July 1, 2007. For more information, contact: Robyn Lipkowitz Voices for Utah’s Children Washington Washington state and unions representing family, friend, and neighbor care providers (who are exempt from licensing) and family child care providers reached an agreement that took several positive steps on child care policies. Under the agreement, which was approved by the legislature, licensed family child care providers will receive a 10 percent increase in their reimbursement rates over two years, plus additional financial incentives for providing care to infants during evenings and weekends. Family, friend, and neighbor providers will receive uniform rates for each child in their care (instead of a lower rate now in effect for siblings of the first child), plus a 7 percent increase in that uniform rate over two years. Beginning in 2008, family child care providers caring for at least four children receiving child care assistance will have access to health insurance coverage. The state will contribute up to $555 per month per provider. The final Washington state budget for 2007-2009 includes $85 million to implement the agreement and to increase reimbursement rates for child care centers in line with the increases for family child care providers. The 2007-2009 state budget also expands funding for a number of other child care and early education programs, including $5 million to pilot a child care quality rating and improvement system, $2 million for activities to support families and other caregivers such as play and learn groups, $1.7 million in new funding to support core child care resource and referral services, $1 million in additional funding for a program that supports increased education and compensation for child care providers, $500,000 to establish two Social/Emotional Coaching pilot projects to support caregivers working with children with challenging behaviors, and $3.4 million in new funding for after-school programs. For more information, contact: Elizabeth Bonbright Thompson Washington State Child Care Resource and Referral Network Jon Gould Children’s Alliance Karen Hart SEIU Local 925 (A great round of appreciation to the Afterschool Alliance for providing the following information!) TURN THE LIGHTS ON OCTOBER 18! The 8th annual Lights On Afterschool will be October 18. Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, it will include rallies, celebrations, forums and other events at schools, city centers, shopping malls and other venues in every corner of the country. This year, Lights On Afterschool will kick off a year-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal afterschool initiative, the chief federal funding stream for afterschool programs. Learn more at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/lights_on/index.cfm! STATE NEWS There has been a tremendous amount of afterschool advocacy at the state and local levels this year. Advocates have been reaching out to state legislators and governors to press for more support for afterschool programs – with results that are paying off for children and families from coast to coast. In Connecticut, legislators and Governor Jodi Rell approved an increase in the afterschool grant program to $5.3 million in the 2007/2008 budget and to $5.5 million in 2008/2009. The new legislation also: allows afterschool grants to be two-year awards; increases program accountability; permits funds to be used for training, technical assistance and evaluation; and includes a parental involvement component. The Connecticut After School Network (http://www.ctafterschoolnetwork.org/) helped ensure the victory. In Ohio, hard work by advocates across the state convinced lawmakers to approve a two-year budget that includes $20 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding for afterschool and summer programs. For more information, go to http://www.ohioafterschoolnetwork.org. In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership (http://www.massafterschool.org/) announced that the state legislature and Governor Deval Patrick have approved a $1 million increase to the After School and Out of School Time grant program for Fiscal Year 2008. This will double the funding from last year, bringing it to $2 million. The new grant prioritizes partnerships between schools and community based organizations. In Indiana, activists have been reaching out to Representative Joe Donnelly (D-IN), who as a result invited Afterschool Alliance leaders to brief him on the issue this summer. Afterschool Ambassador Herb Higgins of the Safe Harbor Afterschool Program in Michigan City will host a site visit for Representative Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and his staff in August, with students writing essays and preparing a scrapbook for the occasion. For info, go to http://www.inafterschoolnetwork.com/ In New York, where more than 34,000 students are at risk of losing their afterschool programs, 25 of the 29 members of the state’s congressional delegation wrote Governor Eliot Spitzer to ask him to find a solution before the new school year begins. The letter says, in part, “If CCLC programs are forced to shut down for a year, the damage will be crippling to our neighborhoods and schools. Principals and schools will lose resources that help them raise achievement and attendance, and relationships between programs and host schools will be endangered. Families and children will lose the opportunities and safe havens they have relied on for five years.” Although funding may or may not be restored, advocates can be proud of their work to rally support for New York children who need safe, enriching activities after school. For more info, visit www.tascorp.org. (A great round of appreciation to the Multi-State Working Families Consortium and the National Partnership for Women & Families for providing the following information!) More than a dozen cities and states are addressing the need for paid sick days, building on the momentum from San Francisco’s successful ballot measure. Already, many city and state legislatures have introduced bills—or are planning on doing so—in 2007. Many of these bills will be reintroduced in 2008, and significant progress is expected. Details on the introduced bills follow. Bills will soon be introduced in several additional locations, including West Virginia (www.sickdayswv.org). Details on Introduced Paid Sick Days Legislation CONNECTICUT A coalition in Connecticut, led by Connecticut ACORN, advocated in 2007 for SB 601, which would require employers with fifteen or more employees provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. The paid sick days earned could be used for an employee’s own illness, or in cases dealing with family violence, sexual assault or violence. The bill was heard and passed by the Joint Committee on Labor and Public Employees, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations, and was reported out of the Legislative Commissioners’ Office. The bill passed in the Senate on May 29. The bill was not taken up in the House before the end of the session. Advocates plan to re-introduce the bill next session and are assured that it is likely it will be passed. For more information, visit http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=10963 FLORIDA A coalition in Florida, led by Florida ACORN, advocated in 2007 for HB 763/ SB 2192, which would require all employers with ten or more employees to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Workers would be able to earn up to a maximum of 52 hours per year, capped at around 6.5 days annually. Employers with less than ten employees would provide one hour for every 80 hours worked, capped at around 3.5 days annually. The paid sick days provided can be used for an employee’s own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to recover from incidents of domestic violence. The legislation did not pass during this legislative session, but may resurface in future sessions. HF 763 died in the Committee on Business Regulation on May 4th. SB 2192 died in the Committee on Commerce on May 4th. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA The DC Paid Sick and Safe Days Act Coalition, led by the DC Employment Justice Center, is leading the charge for B17- 0197. The bill would require employers to provide workers with 10 paid sick days annually (accrued at a rate of one hour for every 26 hours worked) to be used for a worker’s own illness, to seek routine and preventive care, to care for a family member, to attend school-related activities, for domestic violence-related court appearances, or to seek other abuse-related essential services. Employers with five or fewer employees would only have to provide a maximum of five paid sick days per year for workers. The bill was introduced in the DC City Council on May 1, 2007 with unanimous support, and co-sponsorship by all Council members. A hearing was held on July 9th, 2007, to consider the bill; the Committee chair and all Councilmembers have vowed to pass a bill that covers all businesses and all workers. The Council will reconvene to mark up the bill in October and November 2007. For more information, contact Karen Minatelli, DC Employment Justice Center, at kminatelli@dcejc.org or visit www.dcejc.org. MAINE The Maine Women’s Lobby is partnering with the Work and Family Coalition to advance An Act to Care for Working Families. The bill would guarantee workers up to nine paid sick days per year, accrued at a rate of one hour per 30 hours worked. It covers all workers employed by establishments with 25 or more employees. Over the next few months and into 2008, the Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces campaign will be engaging advocates for Maine women and families by calling for a new workplace standard for paid sick days for Maine’s workers. For more information, contact Sarah Standiford, Maine Women’s Lobby, exec@mainewomen.org or visit www.mainewomen.org. MARYLAND A coalition in Maryland, led by Maryland ACORN, advocated in 2007 for HB 832/ SB 828. The bill would require that larger employers (with 10 or more employees) provide employees with one hour of paid sick leave for every 37 hours worked, not to exceed 56 hours, to use for a wide range of reasons, including to seek medical treatment, to care for a family member, or to recover from incidents of domestic violence. Smaller employers (with fewer than 10 employees) would be required to provide one hour for every 80 hours worked, not to exceed 26 hours annually. The House bill was referred to the Committee on Economic Matters and had a hearing on 2/13. It received an unfavorable committee report by Economic Matters on March 13th. After a Senate hearing, the bill received an unfavorable report from the Finance Committee. The bill died when the legislature adjourned on April 9th. MASSACHUSETTS The Massachusetts Paid Family Leave Coalition, led by Greater Boston Legal Services, and its allies in the state legislature introduced S 1073/ H 1803. The bill would require all businesses to offer all full-time employees seven paid sick days annually. The paid sick days can be used to care for an employee’s own illness, to care for a sick family member, for an employee’s or family member’s medical appointments or treatments, or to address the psychological, physical or legal effects of domestic violence. The bill was introduced on January 10th and is currently pending before the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. For more information contact Ingrid Nava, Greater Boston Legal Services, at inava@gbls.org or visit www.gbls.org. MINNESOTA A coalition in Minnesota, led by Minnesota ACORN, advocated in 2007 for SF 1324/ HF 1334. The bills would provide all workers with paid sick days, to be used to recover for their own illness, to care for an ill family member, to obtain diagnosis or treatment, or for absence necessary due to domestic violence. Paid sick leave would accrue at the rate of one hour per 40 hours worked, capped at 52 hours per year. Smaller businesses (businesses with less than ten employees) would only be required to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 80 hours worked, capped at 26 hours per year. HF 1334 was referred to the Committee on Commerce and Labor. SF 1324 was referred to the Committee on Business, Industry, and Jobs. The bill died when the legislature adjourned on May 21st. MISSOURI A coalition in Missouri, led by Missouri ACORN, worked on behalf of SB 637. The bill would require that larger employers (with 10 or more employees) provide workers with one hour of paid sick leave for every 37 hours worked, capped at 40 hours per year. Small employers would be required to provide one hour of paid leave for every 80 hours worked, capped at 26 hours per year. Employees could use this sick leave in the event of their own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to obtain medical diagnosis or treatment. The bill was referred to the Senate Small Business, Insurance, and Industrial Relations Committee. The bill died when the legislature adjourned May 30th. HB 1711 would guarantee that all workers are provided with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of seven days annually. The paid sick days provided could be used for an employee’s own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to recover from incidents of domestic violence. The North Carolina paid sick days coalition is led by the North Carolina Justice Center. The Senate is considering a sick days bill this session, as well (SB 1092), but this measure would only provide job-protected unpaid sick days for workers. HB 1711 is currently in the Committee on Commerce, Small Business and Entrepreneurship. For more information, contact Bill Rowe, North Carolina Justice Center, at bill@ncjustice.org or visit www.ncjustice.org. OHIO The Ohio Healthy Families Act would require businesses with more than 25 workers to allow full-time employees to earn up to 7 paid sick days per year. Part-time workers could earn a smaller, pro-rated number of paid sick days depending on the number of hours they work up to 3 days. In order to get the Ohio state legislature to consider the measure in its 2008 session, advocates are conducting a petition drive and need to collect more than 120,000 signatures by the end of the year. If the legislature does not pass it into law, advocates will have to collect an additional 120,000 signatures to get the measure on the state's ballot in Nov. 2008. To learn more, visit http://www.sickdaysohio.org PENNSYLVANIA PathWaysPA, a nonprofit organization serving women and children in Pennsylvania, is working to bring paid sick days legislation to the state. They propose introducing legislation under which workers earn one hour of paid sick days for every 35 hours worked (workers in small businesses would earn one hour for every 55 hours worked). PathWaysPA has made paid sick days a legislative priority in a report written for the Working Poor Families Project, as well as in several other reports. For more information, contact Marianne Bellesorte, PathWaysPA, at mbellesorte@pathwayspa.org or visit www.pathwayspa.org. VERMONT H 337 requires that employers provide seven paid sick days annually for employees who work 30 or more hours per week, and a pro-rated number of days for part-time workers, to recover from their own illness, care for an ill family member, or seek preventive or routine health care. Vermont’s paid sick days coalition is led by Voices for Vermont’s Children. The House bill was referred to the General, Housing, and Military Affairs Committee. The bill died when the legislature adjourned on May 12th. For more information, visit www.voicesforvermontschildren.org . WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE) In Wisconsin, 9to5, National Association of Working Women co-chairs the Keep Families First Coalition, a statewide group of faith-based, community and labor organizations focused on a variety of work/ family issues. The coalition is currently reaching out to decision-makers and leaders in Milwaukee to support a city-wide policy guaranteeing paid sick days for workers. The efforts could result in a City Council vote or a city-wide referendum vote in 2008. For more information, contact Amy Stear, 9to5, National Association of Working Women at amys@9to5.org, or visit www.9to5.org. For more information on work and family advocacy in the states, visit www.paidfamilyleave.org or www.nationalpartnership.org. (A great round of appreciation to the Multi-State Working Families Consortium and the National Partnership for Women & Families for providing this information!) State advocates and legislators around the nation are addressing the need for policies that make it possible for people to be productive workers and care for themselves or their family members in times of need. Thus far in 2007, a range of bills have been introduced to implement workplace standards and programs that work for working families. CALIFORNIA The Work and Family Coalition, made up of unions and advocacy groups, is advocating for a package of family legislation. SB727 would expand CA’s Paid Family Leave law to cover grandparents, siblings, parents-in-law and grandchildren. AB537 would expand the state version of FMLA to cover grandparents, siblings, parents-in-law and grandchildren. SB836 would prohibit discrimination based on a workers family status, including a worker’s responsibilities to care for a family member. All three bills passed the legislature and are on the Governor desk to sign or veto. For more information, contact Netsy Firestein, Work and Family Coalition, info@working-families.org or www.working-families.org COLORADO In Colorado, 9to5 has built a work-family coalition that is engaged in grassroots organizing, media outreach, gathering stories and building ally support for public education and state policy efforts to: provide parents time off work to attend children’s school activities and pro-vide workers a minimum standard of paid sick days. 9to5 also works to bring Colorado voices into national efforts to protect and expand FMLA, win paid sick days, and include work-family issues in local community benefits campaigns. The organization will be hosting paid sick days briefings and messaging trainings on Monday, November 12, 2007 in Denver. For more information, contact Linda Meric, 9to5, National Association of Working Women, (303) 628-0925, lindam@9to5.org, www.gaworkingfamilies.org and sign up to endorse the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative legislative agenda and receive updates on the Parent Protection Act campaign. For more information, contact Cindia Cameron, Organizing Director, 9to5 and Co-chair, GA Job/Family Collaborative at Cindia@9to5.org or visit www.gaworkingfamilies.org. ILLINOIS During the 2007 session of the Illinois legislature, the Family Leave Insurance Program (FLIP) was introduced. The bill would allow for four weeks of paid family and medical leave, provided through shared financing by employers and employees at 75 cents per employee per week, with a payout of 67% of wages up to a maximum of $380 per week. It applies to employers of one or more. The Coalition has collected thousands of postcards supporting paid leave that they have delivered to legislators. For more information, contact Melissa Josephs, Women Employed, at mjosephs@womenemployed.org or visit www.womenemployed.org. MAINE In summer 2007 the Maine Women’s Lobby celebrated passage of a bill guaranteeing equal access to the Family and Medical Leave Act for gays and lesbians. Maine’s FMLA now includes domestic partners and their kids in the law’s definition of family. The Maine Women’s Lobby also helped secure legislation protecting worker’s right to use intermittent leave under Maine’s family medical leave law. For more information, contact Sarah Standiford, Maine Women’s Lobby, exec@mainewomen.org or visit www.mainewomen.org. NEW JERSEY New Jersey legislators are currently considering S2249/ A3812, bills which would extend the State's existing temporary disability insurance (TDI) system to provide workers with family leave benefits to care for sick family members or to bond with newborn or newly adopted children. As currently written, the Senate bill would provide 10 weeks of TDI benefits (two-thirds wage replacement up to maximum of $502 in 2007) and the Assembly bill would provide 12 weeks of benefits for a worker taking leave to care for a sick child parent, spouse, or partner, or to bond with a new born or adopted child. S2249 has been voted out of two committees and cleared for a floor vote. It is expected that both bills will be considered during the fall 2007 lame duck legislative session. Take action now: Contact your State Legislators, Governor Jon Corzine, Senate President Richard Codey, and Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts and urge them to support S2249/ A3812 and ensure both its quick passage through both houses without any amendments, and its enactment into law. For more information, contact Karen White, Time to Care Coalition, at kswhite@rci.rutgers.edu or visit the New Jersey Time to Care Coalition web site at www.njtimetocare.rutgers.edu. NEW YORK In 2007 the New York State legislature considered the Working Families Time to Care Act. The legislation, introduced by Speaker Silver, Assemblywoman John and Assemblywoman Nolan (A-9245), would expand New York’s existing Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) program to include paid family leave. The bill would provide up to twelve weeks of paid leave to care for a new baby or a newly placed adopted child, or for a seriously ill family member, including a spouse, parent, in-law, sibling, child or domestic partner. The paid leave benefits paid would be the same as New York’s current TDI benefits, equal to half of weekly wages up to a maximum of $170 a week. The proposal calls for the extension of benefits to be paid for by an increase in employee contributions. The New York State Assembly passed the bill on June 22nd, 2007. The Senate did not take up the bill during their July 16th, 2007 one-day special session. The outlook for passage is good; the Senate is in agreement with the need for paid family leave but it is likely that they will wait to pass the bill in 2008, an election year. For more information, contact Donna Dolan, New York Paid Family Leave Coalition, at Donna@timetocareny.org or visit the New York Time to Care website at www.timetocareny.org. OREGON HB 2575, championed by Oregon Representative Diane Rosenbaum, would provide workers with a Family Leave Benefits Insurance program to be used to care for a new baby, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to recover from one’s own serious health condition. Workers would be eligible for up to six weeks of paid leave per year, at $250 per week. The program would be funded through employee contributions of one cent per hour per worker. The bill passed the House on June 25th. The Senate took up the bill on June 27th, but failed to pass it. The legislature adjourned on June 28th. It is likely that the bill will be reintroduced in the next legislative session. For more information, contact Regan Grey or Representative Diane Rosenbaum at Rosenbaum.Rep@state.or.us. WASHINGTON Washington has become the second state in the nation to assure paid family leave for all parents to care for a newborn or newly adopted child. SB 5659, passed in April, 2007, establishes a new family leave program. Beginning in October 2009, parents of newborn and newly adopted children will be able to take up to five weeks off work with a benefit of $250 per week, pro-rated for part-time workers. All employees would be eligible to collect benefits after 680 hours of work. Workers in companies with more than 25 employees who had been with their employers for at least a year and 1250 hours would also have job protection for the five weeks of benefits and a 1 week wait period. As passed, the bill establishes a taskforce of legislators and citizens, including business and labor representatives, to recommend a funding source for the program before the legislature reconvenes in January 2008. A statewide Family Leave coalition, including labor, senior, women, child, health, business and other groups, backed the legislation with an outpouring of grass roots support. For more information, contact Marilyn Watkins, Economic Opportunity Institute, at Marilyn@eoionline.org or visit www.eoionline.org. WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE) In Wisconsin, 9to5, National Association of Working Women co-chairs the Keep Families First Coalition, a statewide group of faith-based, community and labor organizations focused on a variety of work/ family issues. In addition to its paid sick days initiative, the coalition is also working to introduce a school leave bill, which would allow parents to use up to 16 hours of Family and Medical Leave time to attend activities and conferences at their children's schools. The coalition is working with Milwaukee area schools to engage and include low-income families in its policy advocacy program. For more information, contact Amy Stear, 9to5, National Association of Working Women at amys@9to5.org, or visit www.9to5.org. For more information on work and family advocacy in the states, visit www.paidfamilyleave.org or www.nationalpartnership.org Bridging the Gaps: This national report (to be released in October 10, 2007 by the Center for Economic and Policy Research) analyzes the gaps in public policies intended to support low-wage working families, and shows how policy could be designed to give all working families the opportunity to bridge the gaps between their earnings and a basic standard of living. www.bridgingthegaps.org. National Polling on Paid Sick Days: A groundbreaking nationwide poll of 1,200 likely voters showed strong bipartisan support for federal, state and local efforts currently underway to ensure employers provide paid sick days as a minimum workplace standard. http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=psd_index&printer_friendly=1 Family Values at Work: It’s About Time! Why We Need Minimum Standards to Ensure a Family-Friendly Workplace: "Family Values at Work" documents the consequences on workers, families, businesses and the nation when family values end at the workplace door. The document details the wrenching stories of workers suffering from the lack of family-friendly work rules, summarizes key research, and lays out a policy agenda modest compared to that of other advanced nations yet urgently needed by U.S. workers and their families. These policies include a minimum number of paid sick days for routine illnesses as well as a family leave insurance fund to provide income during longer-term leaves for a new baby or serious health condition. The report was released by the MultiState Working Families Consortium, a network of state coalitions working for policies that value families. Joining them are ten national organizations, including 9to5, National Association of Working Women, ACORN, the AFL-CIO, Moms Rising, and Service Employees International Union. http://www.9to5.org/familyvaluesatwork/ _______________________________________________ About the MomsRising e-Exchange: The e-Exchange is a project of MomsRising.org which is building an online, grassroots, trans-partisan movement to improve our country's treatment of mothers and families. The purpose of the e-Exchange is to provide linkages among some of the nation's strongest women's organizations, family advocacy groups, mother's organizations, child advocacy groups, unions, health care organizations, parenting groups, and faith-based organizations as well as academicians, researchers and writers who are all working to better the lives of mothers and families. To see a list of organizations aligned with MomsRising, please visit our website. We encourage you to send us information to place in future e-Exchanges. To submit an entry, contact: Mary@momsrising.org.
B. SPOTLIGHT:
C. CHILD CARE: State of the States
D. AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS: State of the States
E. PAID SICK DAYS: State of the States
F. PAID FAMILY LEAVE: State of the States
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G. GOOD READING
