Happy 103rd Anniversary to the Women’s Bureau!
This month, the Women’s Bureau celebrated our 103rd anniversary! Since the Women’s Bureau was established on June 5, 1920, our work has centered on identifying topics working women care about most, aggressively researching the issues and pioneering innovative policies and programs to address them. See some of our recent research on:
- Mothers, Families and Work
- Women, Work, Aging and Financial Security
- Expanding and Diversifying the Doula Workforce (PDF)
- Paid Leave
Equal Pay Act 60th Anniversary
The Women’s Bureau has fought for equal pay since the 1920s. This month marked the 60th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, signed into law on June 10, 1963 by President Kennedy. This legislation aimed to end sex-based wage disparities and made it illegal to pay women less for the same work. To commemorate this anniversary, the Women’s Bureau hosted “Getting in the Game: Women in Sports Careers,” a webinar celebrating the impact of Title IX and the Equal Pay Act. Moderated by Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon, speakers included the Department of Education’s Suzanne Goldberg, National Hockey League’s Kim Davis, National Basketball Association Official Lauren Holtkamp-Sterling, Spisak Agency Founder KJ Spisak and Florida State University Women’s Basketball Head Coach Brooke Wyckoff.
- See the readout
- View the infographic (PDF)
- Watch Wendy Chun-Hoon share how the Women’s Bureau remains committed to ensuring equal pay for equal work
- Read the White House blog
- Learn more about equal pay and pay transparency
WB Joins Interagency Delegation to Central America
Earlier this month, Women’s Bureau director Wendy Chun-Hoon and ILAB head Thea Lee joined an interagency delegation to El Salvador and Honduras to highlight the importance of equity and opportunity through quality employment for working women.
The Impact of the Dobbs Decision
June 24 marked the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. More than 23 million women in the US – one in three – live in one of the 18 states with an abortion ban currently in effect. The devastating impact of those bans – including women being denied essential medical care to preserve their health and save lives – is clear. We are in agreement with the Biden-Harris Administration, and the vast majority of Americans, who believe that the right to choose is fundamental and that health care decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor, not politicians. In the face of these attacks, the Biden-Harris Administration issued an Executive Order to strengthen access to contraception under the Affordable Care Act, through Medicaid and Medicare, for Service members and veterans, and through a wide range of other Federal programs.
- Learn more about the Executive Order Strengthening Access to Contraception
- Read WB Director Wendy Chun-Hoon’s 2022 statement on the Dobbs decision
June Observances
Celebrating LGBTQIA PRIDE Month
This month, we joined the nation in celebrating LGBTQIA PRIDE Month, “a celebration of generations of LGBTQI+ people who have fought bravely to live openly and authentically, and a reminder that we still have generational work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the full promise of equity, dignity, protection and freedom.” To honor PRIDE, Women’s Bureau Policy Analyst Elyse Shaw participated in the Agency’s PRIDE flag raising ceremony, Program Analyst Leah Carpio-Hernandez penned a personal blog and Director Wendy Chun-Hoon shared her thoughts on being your authentic self in the workplace and outlined how the Women’s Bureau prioritizes inclusivity and leads on strategies to protect LGBTQI+ communities from attacks on their rights and safety.
- Watch Wendy Chun-Hoon's special message for PRIDE month
- Learn how DOL is Supporting LGBTQI+ Workers Nationwide
- Read the White House fact sheet
- View the proclamation
Immigrant Heritage Month
Each June, the nation celebrates Immigrant Heritage Month, celebrating “the very idea that America has been advanced by immigrants from every part of the world.”
Juneteenth
In 2021, Juneteenth was designated as the first new federal holiday in nearly 40 years, recognizing the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. We joined the rest of the country in reflecting on our nation’s history and on the work ahead to eliminate systems built on racism and inequity.
- See how DOL Celebrated Racial Justice and Equality on Juneteenth
- Read the proclamation
- Watch the video
In Case You Missed It
Paid Leave
Ten years ago this month, the state of Rhode Island passed paid leave legislation. Women’s Bureau Deputy Director Gayle Goldin, a Rhode Island state senator at the time, championed the legislation. She recently joined former legislators, advocates and members of the coalition that support paid leave to celebrate its 10-year anniversary.
AANHPI Heritage Month
Last month, DOL hosted an event celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month, uplifting the voices of AA and NHPI workers. Director Wendy Chun-Hoon shared highlights and explained how we can advance equity, justice and opportunity for AA and NHPI Communities.
New Videos
- Older Women Workers: Spotlight on Income
- 5 Ways we’re countering gender-based violence at work
- 5 Facts about older women workers
- Ashley Lovell on the importance of her work as a doula
- How doulas can improve maternal care
WB in the News
- The Washington Post: Remote work appears to be here to stay, especially for women
- Business Insider: Parents are struggling at work or quitting altogether because of the childcare crisis. This map shows how bad it is for families in every state
- U.S. Embassy in Honduras: U.S. Department Of Labor Officials Join Interagency Delegation To Promote Quality Employment For Central American Women - U.S. Embassy in Honduras (usembassy.gov)
- Yahoo! Entertainment: Roundtable discussion on Title IX, Equal Pay Act
- Lexology: Menopause-Friendly Workplaces?
- Fox Business: Return of working moms taking jobs market by storm
- ABC News: Mom makes statement on child care with viral email signature
- The US GLASS News Network: Initiatives Seek to Give Women and Minorities a Safe Landing in Construction
- Business Insider: Childcare is about to get even more expensive at the end of September unless Congress acts
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.
Follow the Women's Bureau on Twitter: @WB_DOL
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.