Gender Equality in the Workforce

Gender Equality in the Workforce

Started
April 27, 2021
Petition to
Signatures: 248Next Goal: 500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Tracey Rubin

Women’s career prospects in the U.S. were at high risk well before Covid-19 struck. In 2019, women comprised 47% of the U.S. labor force but held only 25% of c-suite positions and 7% of Fortune 500 CEO spots. They earned 81 cents on the dollar. For women of color, the gaps are severely larger. The pandemic has only amplified this divide. Covid-related job losses have hit women and low-income workers, two-thirds of which are women, hardest. Mothers are stepping out of the workforce or getting fired due to lack of childcare. Domestic violence has spiked dramatically.

It's vital we draw urgency to this pressing issue. The Female Fallout podcast has identified the following laws and workplace policies that must be enacted to not only recover these losses but finally create a level playing field. Tune in to The Female Fallout podcast on your favorite podcast listening app

Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnant Workers: Pass The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) or expand The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) to require reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers.

Paid Parental Leave: Provide paid parental leave for a minimum of 12 weeks per parent, which cannot be shared between partners. When parental leave benefits have been shared between partners in Europe, women take the majority of time. Only when men are assigned dedicated time will progress be made to normalize paternity leave.

Abolish “Time Served” Requirement for Family Medical Leave Benefits, Safe or Sick Time: Time served at a company must not be an eligibility requirement for parental leave, family medical leave, safe or sick time offered by the state or an employer. These requirements serve to limit women’s career mobility during prime career-building years and further jeopardize the financial and medical health of caregivers and their dependents.

Mandatory Parental Leave: Mandate employees of both sexes take fully paid parental leave for the full length of time it is offered. Making this time optional creates a culture of discrimination against those who take full advantage of the benefits, primarily women.

Eliminate “Primary” and “Non-primary” Caregiver Classes: In order to advance equality in the home, “primary” and “non-primary” caregiver classes across both government and employer-offered parental leave benefits must be abolished. With exception for disability time to recover from birth, all parents must be entitled to the same amount of leave. 

Job Protection following Leave: Job protection, regardless of time served with an employer, must be in place for a minimum of 6 months following an employee’s return date from a legal leave of absence. Currently, an unconscionable number of women are fired or let go within weeks of their return to work.

Marshall Plan for Moms: Pass H.Res. 121, a Marshall Plan for Moms, which will revitalize and restore mothers in the workforce. This plan advocates for long overdue policies including paid family leave, affordable childcare and pay equity. 

Caregiver Protection: Laws in all localities must protect caregivers against discrimination in the workplace. Caregivers must also be entitled to reasonable accommodations that do not cause undue hardship to the employer.

Standard Hours: To protect caregivers, employers must establish regular in-person hours, e.g. 9-5. No standing meetings or last minute changes may be scheduled outside these hours. Any exceptions to standard hours requiring in-person attendance must be made with several days advanced notice in order to arrange childcare.

Universal Childcare: To prevent deep poverty among low-income single parents, reverse women’s exit from the workplace and address childcare deserts, high quality state-sponsored or employer-provided child care must be available from 3 months of age.

Freedom of Speech: The only impactful way to hold employers accountable for illegal discrimination is to free the voice of victims. Severance and settlement offers must not mandate confidentiality or non-disparagement agreements. Furthermore, companies of a certain size must not legally be able to sue or threaten to sue individuals for defamation.

Gender Pay Gap Audits: Companies must be audited regularly for gender pay equity & rectify any gender-based pay gaps

Confidential Salary History: To prevent the compounding impact of women being underpaid throughout their careers, prospective employers in all localities may not request salary history.

Dress Codes and Beauty Mandates: 1) Pass The Crown Act to ensure people of color are not discriminated due to their hairstyles. 2) Employers must fund dress code and beauty mandates they institute, including compensation for time spent purchasing and applying such requirements. 3) Abolish dress codes that could adversely affect the health of employees, such as inappropriate footwear.

Gender Spending Gap: Eliminate sales tax on all beauty and clothing products to help close the immense spending gap that exists in order for women to achieve a professional work appearance.

Sexual Harassment Training: Deliver high-quality and up-to-date sexual harassment training to all employees in all localities for employers of all sizes.

Reverse Severe or Pervasive Standard in Sexual Harassment: Remove the “severe or pervasive” standard for sexual harassment cases and replace it with a “reasonable persons” standard.

Abolish the Sub-Minimum Wage: Tipped-workers must be paid the minimum wage in order to lower instances of sexual harassment in the service industry.

Protect Victims of Domestic Violence and Stalking: Pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (VAWA), which includes guaranteed paid domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking leave. It also includes expanded housing, cash assistance, and access to retirement savings. We must also ensure these victims are entitled to reasonable accommodations in all localities.

Paid Sick & Safe Days: All employees must be eligible for a minimum of 40 hours of paid sick leave per year, which must be available immediately and may be used for personal safety, the safety of family members, and caregiving as well as personal mental and physical health. 

Confidential Sick Days: Prohibit employers from asking an employee about the nature of why they took a sick day in order to protect employees’ confidential and personal health and safety concerns. 

Relocation Assistance for Victims of Domestic Violence or Stalking: Companies of a certain size should sponsor relocation costs for victims of domestic abuse and stalking and allow them to transfer their job to the new location.

Equal Rights Amendment: The 117th Congress must remove the time limit to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which would guarantee all American citizens equal legal rights regardless of sex. Congress must also declare it complete once 38 states have ratified it. Virginia was the 38th state to ratify it in January 2020.

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Signatures: 248Next Goal: 500
Support now
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