Check out WOW's new research report, Struggling to Get By: Economic Insecurity and LGBT Seniors in Massachusetts (2014). Click here to learn more.
WOW's new report, Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and America’s Families, finds that the US economic insecurity rate—the proportion of Americans who lack incomes that will provide economic security—was 44 percent in 2012, almost three times the national poverty rate. To learn more about the findings, listen to WOW's recent webinar featuring Amanda Andere President and CEO, WOW; Shawn McMahon, Vice President for Policy and Programs, WOW; and, Christine Jagerburger, Vice President - Community Impact, United Way of Monmouth County, NJ.
Listen to WOW Senior Scholar, Mary Gatta’s interview on NPR with Brian Lehrer as she introduces her book All I Want Is A Job!: Unemployed Women Navigating the Public Workforce System and talks about her "undercover" research as a client in a New Jersey career center. Dr. Gatta also discusses her findings about the opportunities for women to find jobs with a living wage. Click here to listen to the interview.
As an organization with a 50-year history of ensuring that the gender and economic security lenses are included in policy and budget discussions, WOW had one question in reviewing the President’s proposed budget, “Are there opportunities for women?”
WOW’s mission and vision of achieving economic security across the lifespan for women and their families can make us feel like we are one those “resolutioners” at my gym. Lofty goals set, important work done in making a difference in the lives of thousands across the country; yet here we are again. Our recent report, Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and America’s Families, finds that the US economic insecurity rate—the proportion of Americans who lack incomes that will provide economic security—was 44 percent in 2012, almost three times the national poverty rate. That could discourage even the most committed advocates, but for WOW’s staff, board and partners, it gives us an important opportunity to reflect on the impact we had in 2014 and then move forward with our goals to change the lives of more women.
The President asked Congress and the America public, "[w]ill we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?" His 2015 State of the Union proposed job training partnerships with community colleges, expanding apprenticeship, paycheck fairness and equal pay for equal work, raise minimum wages, paid sick days legislation and providing paid family leave for new parents and all working families can help ensure we will commit ourselves to an economy with rising incomes and opportunity for all who make the effort.
WOW Applauds the President's Action to Strengthen Families Across America
The President introduced policies include calling on Congress, states, and cities to pass paid sick days legislation, allocating $1 million in new funding for the Department of Labor’s Paid Leave Analysis Grant Program, proposing legislation to provide Federal employees with paid leave after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, and signing a Presidential Memorandum requiring Federal agencies to advance sick leave to parents of a new child.
WOW's new CEO and President, Amanda Andere, responds to the Senate's inactivity around the Paycheck Fairness Act. She shares her hope that the year of the woman can happen again and the role WOW can play in making that a reality. Check out her blog post here.
Paycheck Fairness Remains Critical to Women's Economic Security
In recognition of Equal Pay Day, WOW issued this statement, released a new fact sheet on the Paycheck Fairness Act and applauded the President for two new executive actions to fight pay discrimination.
Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and Older Americans
WOW's analysis finds that 50% of America's retired women are economically insecure.
Wider Opportunities for Women Welcomes New Rulemaking to Strengthen Americans’ Retirement Security. CLICK HERE to learn more.
WOW hosting a Forum on Women in IT at Essex County College in Newark, NJ on March 12, 2015 from 1-4pm. Click HERE for more information and click HERE to RSVP.
Nearly Half of Americans Still Lack Economic Security in the Recovering Economy; $30K in Wages Needed to “Get By” for Single Childless Worker. Read more in WOW's report, Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and America’s Families, here. (10-28-14)
Wider Opportunities for Women Awarded US Department of Justice Grant. WOW has received a three-year grant from the US Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to provide training and technical assistance to OVW grantees serving survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and stalking around the issues of safety, economic security and sustainability of employment. Read more here. (10-13-14)
WOW collaborated with Restaurant Opportunities Centers United's (ROC) on its groundbreaking report about sexual harassment in the restaurant industry. Click here to read the report, The Glass Floor: Sexual Harassment in the Restaurant Industry. (10-07-14)
WOW's 50th Anniversary Book Talk Series ended on October 7th in Washington, DC and on October 9th in Boston, MA. The Washington, DC event featured author Brigid O'Farrell and her book She Was One of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt and the American Worker. The series concluded in Boston, MA with WOW Senior Scholar Mary Gatta and a discussion about her new book, All I Want Is a Job! Unemployed Women Navigating the Public Workforce System. Guests at both receptions also had the opportunity to meet WOW's new CEO Amanda Andere and enjoy light refreshments.
The Economic Security for Survivors Project has released its newest resource, the Economic and Employment Advocacy Course. The free online course is divided into twelve 15-minute modules that provide advocates and case managers with the knowledge and tools to help survivors identify and access good jobs, recover and grow financially, and overcome common barriers to economic security. (09-01-14)
NEW LOCATION! Join WOW on August 26th in New York City for the second event of our 50th Anniversary Book Talk Series and commemoration of Women's Equality Day. The reception will feature WOW's new President and CEO Amanda Andere and Stanford University sociologist Dr. Marianne Cooper, who will discuss her new book, Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times. Click here for more information and here to RSVP.
WOW’s Senior Scholar, Mary Gatta book, All I Want Is A Job!: Unemployed Women Navigating the Public Workforce System was featured on the Brian Lehrer Show. Mary talks about her experience as an undercover waitress trying to navigate the One-Stop Career Centers and ways that our workforce development policy and programs can be improved to better meet the needs of all job seekers.
WOW Hosted its Inaugural 50th Anniversary Book Event on June 10th in Washington, DC, WOW hosted the first event in our 50th Book Series and celebrated the launch of WOW's newest Women & Work project. Participants enjoyed a lively discussion with WOW Senior Scholar and author Dr. Mary Gatta as she introduced her new book, All I Want Is A Job!
WOW and MAOA release new report on elder economic security: Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity Among Massachusetts' Elders Report (2014) (04-07-14)
Modern Rosie the Riveter a Path to Women’s Higher Pay, Bloomberg (03-26-14)
Does NJ need a higher minimum wage for restaurant workers? "Wider Opportunities for Women called for the change after releasing a study that found nine out of 10 restaurant servers at the Shore don’t make enough to pay for their basic needs." Asbury Park Press (02-13-14)
Pay gap between N.J. women and men grew in 2012, federal data shows, The Star-Ledger (01-15-14)
San Diego Mayoral Election: Use Elder Index to Determine Seniors' Economic Needs, San Diego Source (12-26-13)
Office of Violence Against Women: Prosecutors Can Help Protect and Support Survivors’ Economic Security, US Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women blog (11-21-13)
Innovative Projects Address Economic Impacts of Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence in Communities Nationwide, US Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women blog (11-18-13)
"Enough!" Says Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) in Congressional Briefing with WOW on Living Below the Line Report: Women and their Families Should Be Able to be Economically Secure throughout their Lives (11-14-13)
Additional coverage: Summary of news stories about Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and America's Families (Fall 2013, WOW)--Seeking a Poverty Measure for the Next 50 Years, The Wall Street Journal, Why is the Federal Poverty Line So Far Off? BillMoyers.com, Chart of the Day: 60 percent of single women can't afford basic needs, Feministing
You can't live on $7.25 an hour anywhere in America, MSN Money (07-19-13)
MA Creates Commission to Address its Elder Economic Security Gap—Largest in US—with Input from WOW (July 2013).
Coverage of WOW's Economic Security Scorecard includes: MSN Money, The Huffington Post, Think Progress, BillMoyers.com, 24/7 Wall St., UtahPolicy.com, Tulsa World, Sun Sentinel (FL), Des Moines Register, Dallas Morning News, Alabama Political Reporter, Albuquerque Business First.
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