The Women's Bureau brings you monthly updates highlighting the impact of our initiatives and collaborations on the ground.
Closing the Gender Wage Gap
Our new blog explores the gender wage gap for older women and discusses ways to make progress toward closing it. The gender wage gap is larger for older workers – women ages 50+ make about 75 cents for every dollar made by men ages 50+ – than it is for younger workers. Solutions for closing the wage gap for all workers include salary history bans (which the Biden-Harris Administration has implemented for federal workers), disrupting occupational segregation and eliminating discrimination.
- Read the blog
- Access all Equal Pay resources
- Access all Women, Work, Aging and Financial Security resources
Ensuring Equity in Infrastructure
Acting Secretary Julie Su continued her Good Jobs Summer tour with trips to Philadelphia, Atlanta and Las Vegas. In Philadelphia, she paid a visit to Women in Nontraditional Careers (WINC), a regional collaborative effort launched in 2018 with the help of a Women’s Bureau grant. The Acting Secretary, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden and Mayor Cherelle Parker announced Philadelphia’s Investing in America Workforce Hub as well as new commitments to hire residents on projects funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic infrastructure investments, including policies to promote equitable workforce development, expanding pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, investing in wrap-around supportive services, like child care, for apprentices, and more.
- View photos of the Acting Secretary’s visit
- Read the Acting Secretary’s remarks
Eliminating Gender-Based Violence and Harassment in the World of Work
The Women’s Bureau’s Northeast Region co-hosted a roundtable on gender-based violence and harassment at the Connecticut state Capitol that was attended by advocates and lawmakers, including Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. Participants also discussed related issues such as paid leave and the downsides of non-disclosure agreements. State officials expressed their commitment to advancing policies to protect people in Connecticut from gender-based violence and harassment in and out of the workplace.
Strengthening the Care Economy
To support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Cancer Moonshot, an initiative to mobilize a national effort to tackle the U.S.’ second leading cause of death, the Department of Labor held a high-level conversation that delved into the protections available to workers dealing with cancer, as well as policies that affect their care providers. Women’s Bureau Senior Advisor Sophia Kerby discussed what the Administration is doing to strengthen the national care workforce, protect home care workers and support families providing care, including through paid leave.
- Watch the recording (Senior Advisor Kerby’s section begins around 34:00)
- Read a blog about the panel
- Get information about Domestic Workers and download our sample employment agreements
- Learn more about Paid Leave
Upcoming Events
Webinar: Working Mothers
- August 8, 5-6 p.m. ET (2-3 p.m. PT)
- Featuring staff from WB’s Western Region, the Wage and Hour Division and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, this webinar is for working mothers, advocates and employers who want to learn about the rights, resources and avenues for support under current labor laws and policies. Register here.
Webinar: Empowering Women: Navigating Health Protections Throughout Your Career
- August 15, 2-3:30 p.m. ET (11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. PT)
- WB is partnering with the Employee Benefits Security Administration and the Wage and Hour Division to share information about women’s health protections throughout their career and life journeys. Register here.
In Case You Missed It
- Watch “New Developments in Occupational Licensing Portability for Military Spouses,” hosted by the WB’s Western Region and featuring the Veteran's Employment Training Service and staff from the Departments of Defense and Justice. Hear about the latest developments in military spouse occupational licensing from these cross-agency experts.
- Watch “The Impact of Menopause on Women: Considerations for Health Care and the Workplace,” hosted by the WB and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Learn about workplace accommodations and treatment considerations for women experiencing menopause.
Women's Bureau in the News
- Axios: Paid parental leave access is increasing in the U.S.
- Las Vegas Review-Journal on MSN: Latinas ‘powering’ recovering U.S. economy, labor secretary tells UnidosUS attendees
- Las Vegas Review-Journal: Latinas ‘impulsan’ la recuperación de la economía, dice la secretaria de Trabajo en UnidosUS
- Black Enterprise: Report: Black Americans, Particularly Black Women, Among Those Hit Hardest by Wage Disparities
- Puget Sound Business Journal: Federal data shows women 50+ face a larger gender wage gap
- New Jersey Business & Industry Association: Gender Pay Gaps Are Wider for Older Women
We Want to Hear from You!
“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.
