Politics
Women Consistently Earn Less Than Men; Women Are Over-represented in Lower Paying Jobs and, As They Age, the Pay Gap Widens Even More
According to the QWI data based on unemployment insurance wage records for the third quarter of 2020 (the most recent national data), women in the United States earned 30% less than men and that pay gap increased with age. Women are over-represented in lower paying jobs and, as they age, the pay gap widens even more. The gender gap has narrowed for younger women as they increase their education level and break into occupations traditionally dominated by men. Although the gender pay gap has narrowed since the signing of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women earned 82 cents for every dollar a man earns according to 2020 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The gender gap has narrowed for younger women as they increase their education level and break into occupations traditionally dominated by men. While women have a growing presence in higher paying industries like Information or Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, they are still over-represented in lower paying industries. more »
Jo Freeman Reviews There is Nothing For You Here by Fiona Hill
Jo Freeman writes: Her description of Donald Trump and his dysfunctional administration is consistent with that of other authors. Trump was addicted to flattery and adulation. A chapter section is called “Me, Me, Me.” Hill says he suffered from “autocrat envy.” He didn’t just admire Putin; he wanted to be like him. Trump was angered by mere rumors that someone had said something negative about him. He wanted to just snuff them out, with the alacrity of Putin and other autocrats. Although Hill worked for the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations, we only get details about Trump. Since it’s not a short book, perhaps the publisher didn’t think reading about the earlier Presidents would generate sales. Too bad. Her other comparisons are illuminating; how these three men ran their domains should be as well.
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Justice Department Issues Guidance on Ballot Drop Box Accessibility Requirements Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
“The right to vote is the fundamental right upon which our democracy is built,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “For too long in our history, many voters with disabilities have faced barriers in exercising their voting rights. Many of these barriers continue even today, including physical barriers that prevent them from entering polling places or accessing a ballot dropbox. The ADA requires election officials to select and provide accessible ballot dropbox locations so that voters with disabilities can have the same voting opportunities as other voters. The Justice Department is fully committed to vigorous enforcement of the ADA to ensure that voters with disabilities no longer face discrimination in the election process.” The publication covers the elements and features of a ballot dropbox that election officials should consider meeting the ADA’s accessibility requirements. The publication discusses the requirements for an accessible route to a ballot dropbox, such as a level walkway without gaps and steps. It also discusses accessibility features of a ballot dropbox such as a handle or lever that can be operated with one hand and without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist. The guidance includes a checklist of the accessibility standards used to assess a ballot dropbox. more »
Weekly Legislative Update, February 14, 2022: Bill To Permit Employees to Request Changes to Work Schedules Without Fear of Retaliation; Bill for Support of National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month”, Disaster Equipment in Emergencies
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)/Education and Labor; House Administration; Oversight and Reform; Ways and Means (2/9/22) — A bill to extend protections to part-time workers in the areas of family and medical leave and pension plans, and to ensure equitable treatment in the workplace; Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)/Placed on Senate legislative calendar (2/9/22) — A bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994; On Tuesday, the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will mark up several bills, including S. 2042, the Interagency Committee on Women’s Business Enterprise Act of 2021. Appropriations — Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act This week, the Senate is expected to vote on a continuing resolution (CR) (H.R. 6617) to fund the government through March 11. The current CR expires on February 18.
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