February Updates: Black History Month, FMLA at 30, Paid Leave, Good Jobs, Doulas and more

February Updates: Black History Month, FMLA at 30, Paid Leave, Good Jobs, Doulas and more [] [WB Updates]( [About Us]( [News]( [Data]( [Contact Us]( [New Logo]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Black History Month [Alexis Herman greets workers] Each February, we celebrate Black History Month, a national celebration of the achievements and contributions of Black Americans to every aspect of American life and culture. The monthlong commemoration, which began as a weeklong observance by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926, was established as Black History Week in 1975 by President Gerald Ford. In 1986, Congress officially designated the month of February as National Black History Month. This year, we had the honor to hear from the 23rd United States Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman – the first African American to head the department – under President Bill Clinton. Alexis Herman was also the youngest person to serve as Director of the Women’s Bureau, appointed by President Jimmy Carter when she was 29 years old. A lifelong advocate for women’s rights and the rights of people of color, Sec. Herman is living Black history and her inspirational message to us this month is a nod to this year’s national theme “Black Resistance” and a rallying cry as we prepare for Women’s History Month in March. - [Watch the video]( - [Read the Proclamation on National Black History Month, 2023]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Family and Medical Leave Act Anniversary [FMLA 30] On February 5, we marked 30 years since the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was passed and signed into law, which provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for eligible employees. To celebrate this landmark legislation that has helped millions of working families in the U.S., Women’s Bureau Deputy Director Gayle Goldin participated in a Department of Labor-wide event highlighting the law’s successes, honoring FMLA champions and looking ahead at ways to make sure workers have leave when they need it and don’t have to choose between work and family. - [Watch the event recording]( - [Visit the website]( - Read the press release]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Paid Leave Website [Two hands clasp on a hospital bed. In the background, you can see an IV in one of the people's arms. ] Everyone needs care, but not everyone has access to paid leave. While momentum is growing for paid leave, there is currently no federal law regarding paid family and medical leave for the private sector, although some states have their own programs and requirements. This month, the Women’s Bureau launched a paid leave microsite which explains the main types of paid leave, current leave laws across the country [using an inter]([active map](, what your rights are, and more. Our Deputy Director Gayle Goldin also participated in an event to celebrate the FMLA anniversary and to discuss momentum for paid leave at the state level, hosted by the Center for American Progress and the National Partnership for Women & Families. - [Visit the website]( - [Read the fact sheet]( - [Watch the recording of the State Momentum for Paid Leave event]( - [Hear Women's Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon explain why it's time to care about paid leave]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Union Women's Equal Pay Day [Union Women's Equal Pay Day graphic ] On February 12, we celebrated Union Women’s Equal Pay Day (UWEPD). As the gender wage gap in America persists, UWEPD is a reminder that women forming and joining unions can advance pay equity for women. Did you know that, on average, workers represented by unions earn more than those working in non-union jobs, and union men and women also have more equitable wages compared to each other? That is part of the union advantage. Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler penned an op-ed explaining how unions can help women close the wage gap. - [Read the op-ed]( - [Learn more about the Worker Organizing Resource and Knowledge (WORK) Center]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Making Equity Real: Black Workers and Good Jobs [Making Equity Real : Black Workers and Good Jobs] This month, Secretary Marty Walsh, Deputy Secretary Julie Su, and Black labor leaders convened in person for an important discussion on centering equity and job quality as we build a stronger, more prepared workforce. Three key takeaways from the conversation are: Infrastructure jobs we will create need to be good, union jobs; we must invest in care jobs - good paying, union jobs - as a necessary part of equity in infrastructure; and there is a union advantage for women and POC - in EVERY paycheck and over a lifetime. - [Learn more about The Good Jobs Initiative]( - [Read the press release]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Women's Bureau Holds Listening Sessions with Doulas As part of DOL’s commitment to the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, the Women's Bureau held listening sessions with doulas to learn more about job quality gaps for doulas in states with insurance reimbursement and in states without it. The first listening session, held in Birmingham, Alabama, followed a roundtable with Mayor Randall Woodfin, stakeholders, and doulas to discuss the city’s investment in the doula workforce. The second session was held in Providence, Rhode Island at the Rhode Island Foundation, which recently provided grants to improve care for women of color by supporting the perinatal workforce, including doulas. Currently, Rhode Island is the only state to require that doulas services are covered by both Medicaid and private insurance. Alabama does not require insurance reimbursement for services, but in 2022, the City of Birmingham awarded a grant to train doulas and reimburse them for services to clients who are Medicaid eligible. --------------------------------------------------------------- Upcoming Events [Progress Report on the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality ] White House Briefing on the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality Progress Report In October 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration released the National Gender Strategy to advance gender equity in the U.S. and abroad. On Monday, Feb 27 at 2 p.m. ET, join the White House Office of Public Engagement and the White House Gender Policy Council for a briefing on the progress the Administration has made so far and hear strategic priorities in the year ahead. - [Register here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [DOL Grants] DOL Grants Webinar DOL grants aim to connect, protect, train, support, and empower workers and job seekers, at home and abroad. If you are interested in applying for a DOL grant, and/or have questions about the process, this webinar is for you. Please register to attend February 28 at 10 a.m. ET and share widely with your networks. - [Register here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Black woman in construction ] Building Futures Together: Engaging Women in Construction Thursday, March 9, 2023 | 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. ET In recognition of Women in Construction Week, join us to learn about the many DOL resources, career pathways, and federal protections available to women in nontraditional occupations. - [Register here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [A woman in construction ] Women in Construction webinar Tuesday, March 21, 2023 | 1:30–3:00 p.m. ETLearn more about the Federal Highway Administration's Every Day Counts-6 Strategic Workforce Development initiative to identify, train, place, and retain women in construction, and hear from partner organizations, including the Vermont Agency of Transportation and Vermont Works4Women. - [Register here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- WB in the News - [WDTV: First at 4 Forum – Nicole Neri]( - [Ms. Magazine: The Childcare Crisis is Costing You Money]( - [The Hill: Unions can help women close the wage gap]( - [The Wall Street Journal: Child Care Hasn’t Recovered From Covid, Keeping Many Parents at Home]( - [Alabama.com: How much of your paycheck goes to child care? Alabama child care, day care costs are increasing]( - [NPR Planet Money: Why daycare is so expensive, but workers are paid too little]( - [The Herald-Palladium: Report: Child care taking chunk out of Berrien County family income]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [We Want to Hear from You!]( [Tell Us Your Story template]( “Occupational segregation” is the gendered sorting of men and women into different types of jobs. It leads to women being overrepresented in certain jobs, which are valued and compensated less than male-dominated jobs. We’ve heard from many working women about their experiences with gendered job expectations, the challenges they face at work, the support systems that help them thrive and the policy changes that would help them succeed. We'd like to hear from you. - [Read their stories]( - [Tell us your story]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Follow the Women's Bureau on Twitter: @WB_DOL]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Working women having a conversation]( The Women’s Bureau has championed the rights of working women and served as a convener of conversations critical to an equitable economy for women for more than 100 years. [Follow us at @WB_DOL]( to learn more about the latest research, initiatives, policies and updates related to working women and their families. [Click here to view in browser]( [Bookmark and Share]( FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Department of Labor - Women's Bureau - 200 Constitution Ave NW - Washington, DC 20210 202-693-6710 (telephone) - 202-693-6725 (fax) - [www.dol.gov/wb/]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Link Title]( Questions? 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