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NWLC's Weekly Roundup: May 21 - 25

Posted by Danielle Jackson, Online Outreach Associate | Posted on: May 25, 2012 at 03:15 pm

I’m sure you’re all anxious to get your Memorial Day weekend started, so this week we just have a few quick hits for you. Read on for stories on the latest product from Ruffles potato chips, “pink collar” jobs, and some dialogue about freedom of speech and pro-choice activism.

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The Shaheen Amendment Passes in Committee!

Posted by Leila Abolfazli, Counsel | Posted on: May 25, 2012 at 02:30 pm

How fitting. How fitting it is that just days before Memorial Day weekend, when we honor our fallen troops, the Senate Armed Services Committee takes a very big step in respecting and acknowledging the women who currently serve to protect our country.

In case you haven't heard already, the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday finished its mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2013. During the mark-up, the Committee voted on whether to include an amendment offered by Senator Shaheen that would repeal the ban on coverage for abortion for survivors of rape or incest in the military.

I know I am usually the "Debbie Downer" for repro rights news, but today, I have the great news to report that the Amendment PASSED!! For the first time in a very long, we are VERY CLOSE to bringing the health insurance coverage for military women in line with the coverage other federal health insurance programs currently provide.

Now, you may stop to wonder, um, why is this the policy anyways why are military women denied such coverage? Why are they denied such coverage when civilian federal employees even have access to this admittedly-pitiful level of coverage? Great question.

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CEO Pay Keeps Going Up, But What About the Minimum Wage?

Posted by | Posted on: May 25, 2012 at 01:45 pm

Today brings news that CEO pay went up last year by 6 percent, bringing the average salary to $9.6 million per year for the head of a public company. Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage remains stuck at $7.25 per hour just $14,500 for a year of full-time, minimum wage work. As our recent infographic makes clear, with women underrepresented at the top and overrepresented at the bottom of the income scale, increasing the minimum wage is critical to women:

It's time to raise the minimum wage.

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Minimum Wage Increase Advances in New Jersey

Posted by Julie Vogtman, Senior Counsel | Posted on: May 25, 2012 at 01:00 pm

I have to admit, I’m feeling pretty good today — I’m just hours away from starting a long holiday weekend, and I get to report more happy news on the minimum wage! Today’s update comes from New Jersey, where the General Assembly just passed a bill (A-2162) that would raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour and index the wage to keep pace with inflation. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) estimates that over half a million workers — the majority of them women — will get a raise if A-2162 is enacted.

That raise is sorely needed: full-time minimum wage earnings of $14,500 a year leave a mom with two children thousands of dollars below the federal poverty line in a state with one of the highest costs of living in the country. Raising New Jersey’s minimum wage to $8.50 per hour would mean an extra $2,500 per year, which could make a real difference for women and families struggling to make ends meet. And indexing the wage for inflation would help ensure that the buying power of the minimum wage does not erode as it has over the past decades; indeed, if the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation since the 1960s, it would be more than $10.50 per hour today.

Low-wage workers and their families are not the only ones who would benefit from a minimum wage increase – New Jersey’s economy would get a boost, too. More money in workers’ pockets means more dollars flowing into local businesses, and that means more jobs: according to EPI, raising the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour would generate over $277 million in economic activity in New Jersey, creating close to 2,500 jobs.

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Paycheck Fairness Act Press Conference Calls for Wage Justice

Posted by Samantha Lint, Outreach Intern | Posted on: May 25, 2012 at 12:15 pm

Yesterday's afternoon press conference at the Senate called for bi-partisan support of the Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA), a bill designed to close loopholes that perpetuate wage discrimination. While any worker regardless of gender would benefit from this bill, PFA would be a significant step toward equal pay for women. As lead sponsor Senator Mikulski (D-MD) explained at the press conference, PFA is the next step after the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to closing the wage gap for women. While Ledbetter is an essential remedy to help people who find out that they are being discriminated against seek justice, PFA, Mikulski stated, "Closes loopholes that allow pay discrimination in the first place."

PFA would improve remedies for pay discrimination, prohibit employer retaliation, and facilitate class action suits in equal pay claims.

Pretty simple logic, it'd be tough to learn about wage discrimination if discussing wages can be grounds for termination.

The PFA is making its second recent appearance in Congress, after the Senate failed to move it forward last year but two votes.

Fatima Goss Graves, NWLC Vice President for Education and Employment, spoke at the conference in support of PFA and explained how PFA remedies current loopholes and constraints in equal pay law.

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New York Residents: Keep Up the Momentum on Minimum Wage

Posted by Joan Entmacher, Vice President for Family Economic Security | Posted on: May 25, 2012 at 11:12 am

There's good news and bad news for women and families in New York this week.

The good news: The State Assembly recently voted to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour and tie it to the rising cost of living. That would mean an extra $2,500 each year for minimum wage workers in New York, nearly two-thirds of whom are women.

The bad news: To keep up the momentum on this critical issue, we need strong leadership from Governor Cuomo and the state Senate — or the bill is likely to stall.

More good news: You can help. Tell Governor Cuomo to fight for a strong minimum wage increase and tell your state Senator to pass the minimum wage bill, A. 9148. They need to hear from you!

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Picture This: Health Care Law Saves Women's Lives

Posted by Judy Waxman, Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights | Posted on: May 03, 2012 at 10:41 am

Death by a million cuts. That's the plan of some members of Congress who have held hearings and votes to cut programs in the health care law. And some of these cuts go to the heart of women's health.

They just don’t get it. We need to show — literally show — them why the health care law is important to women and their families. Join our photo blog and tell our leaders — I Will NOT Be Denied™!

I Will Not Be Denied - Photo Blog

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Race, Sex and Health Care: The Math Adds up to ACA

Posted by Dania Palanker, Senior Health Policy Advisor | Posted on: April 27, 2012 at 11:17 am

National Women’s Law Center is proudly taking part in the Health Equity Can’t Wait! blog carnival celebrating National Minority Health Month. Participating bloggers are health, consumer, civil rights, and provider advocates committed to promoting health equity. You can find all the posts for the carnival here.

Women pay about $1 billion more for health care on the individual market just because they are women. Yet women are only paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. We are charged more and we are paid less.

And that’s only part of the problem. The wage gap is even greater for African American women and Hispanic women. But the cost of health care is still high. So what does that add up to?

Well, if you try to add up it all up, you find out that African American and Hispanic women are more likely to be uninsured than white women. You learn that African American women ages 45 to 64 are almost twice as likely to have a disability, handicap or chronic disease that limits activity compared to white women in the same age range. You discover that Latina women have higher rates of diabetes and hypertension. You read that older women of color are undertreated for their cancer pain. You realize that there is a problem.

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