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Economic Equity News: August 26, 2014

With today being #WomensEqualityDay it seems more appropriate than ever to be highlighting the news about bringing economic equity to women. The list of things that New York State women need for equality does not end with one newsletter, we have a growing number of things we need to tackle.

Join NYS PowHER this election season with our #POWHERList Campaign proposing a dozen issues that must be addressed to create economic equality including: Fair wages, Retirement Security, Better Job Opportunities, Affordable Education, Safe, Family Friendly Workplaces, Flexible Schedules, Childcare, Reproductive Options, Close the Wage Gap, Caregiver’s pay, Access to Capital, and Women’s Voices at the Table. Add your list by using the hashtag #POWHERLIST or submit your answers here. But for now, on to the articles (as a #POWHERList of course)!

1. We want Workplace Diversity.  The Atlantic- A litany of tech companies followed Google’s lead, using the formula it had established. And that formula has now become the de facto way to share (and apologize for) diversity data in Silicon Valley. It goes something like this:

1. Write a blog post about the importance of transparency, acknowledging how your company has a long way to go and outlining a few diversity-related initiatives

2. Include a sleek graph showing how few women and minorities you employ

3. When asked to talk about the issue, decline interview requests and redirect people back to the original blog post

2. We want Equal Pay.

BusinessWeek- Another discouraging finding: Women’s salaries are closest to men’s in industries that pay the least.

3. We want to get paid for what we work. 

The New York Times- While the challenges are different at high-income and low-income jobs, the bottom line is the same: Employees, particularly parents, need some measure of predictability and control over the hours they work; the workplace could be much more equal if they weren’t penalized for not working a straight 40-hour workweek.

4. We want a healthy lifestyle. 

Salary.com- In today’s busy world, prioritizing between your work and your personal life can be a huge challenge. But studies show that a poor work-life balance can result in unhealthy levels of stress, unhappiness, and even reduced productivity.

The 14 tips outlined in this article are designed to help you restore the balance — and harmony — in your work and personal lives, so you can enjoy both to the utmost.

5. We want pay transparency. 

The New York Times- Concerns about pay transparency have been around for decades, but the issue is gaining momentum. One reason is a push at the federal level. President Obama has long made equal pay one of his priorities, he recently signed several executive orders regarding pay equity and transparency.