This free community forum on Tuesday May 8^th from 6 to 8pm, will highlight the impacts of the recession and state budget cuts on women in Washington.

It will focus on how the unprecedented cuts to our state budget are disproportionally harming women’s employment, economic security, health, and safety. Marilyn Watkins, EOI Policy Director will join other panelists in discussing policies that should be pursued at the state level as our economy recovers, and how we can ensure the recovery is equitable for women. Attendees will be invited to join the discussion during the Q&A session.

Click here to RSVP for the forum (it’s a free event, but space is limited).

The forum will be moderated by Erica Barnett from Publicola and panelists include:

• Lori Pfingst, Senior Policy Analyst, Washington State Budget & Policy Center
• Marilyn Watkins, Policy Director, Economic Opportunity Institute
• Dana Laurent, Political Director of Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest
• Diane Narasaki, Executive Director of Asian Counseling and Referral Service
• David Ward, Legal and Legislative Counsel at Legal Voice

RSVP: http://whatwomenwantwashington.eventbrite.com/

New research shows workers and families are benefiting from California’s paid family leave law – and most employers say it’s had either positive effects or no impact on their business.

Under California’s first-in-the-nation paid family leave (PFL) program, enacted in 2004, workers who become new parents or care for an ill family member can take up to 6 weeks of partially paid leave (55% of a worker’s weekly pay).

Researchers at Columbia University who analyzed the effects of the PFL program on the labor market and new mothers’ use of leave found PFL doubles the average length of leave for new mothers – from 3 weeks to at least 6 weeks.

These effects were most evident among mothers from economically disadvantaged groups – including non-college educated, unmarried, Hispanic, and Black moms – whose average length of leave increased from 1-2 weeks to 4-7 weeks. The research also suggests that PFL increases work hours and wage income for those mothers who returned to work.

On the employer’s end of the experience, another study found business owners’ fears of increased costs and abuse of the policy were unfounded. Six years after California implemented PFL, more than nine in ten employers reported they were not aware of any instances of abuse of the program. Small businesses were less likely than larger companies to report negative effects. Other findings from employers include:

• 89% reported “positive” or “no noticeable” effects on productivity.

• 91% reported “positive” or “no noticeable” effects on profitability or performance.

• 96% reported “positive” or “no noticeable” effects on turnover.

Researchers also found that PFL increased retention among workers in low-quality jobs (paying less than $20 per hour and providing employer-paid health insurance): 83% who used PFL returned to the same employer, compared with 74% of those who did not use PFL. There are also positive effects on workers’ ability to care for a new child and arrange child care, and increased duration of breastfeeding for all new mothers who used PFL.

Locally, the Washington Family Leave Coalition is working to ensure people in our state also have access to paid leave. The state’s Family Medical and Leave Insurance program was established in 2007, and is currently scheduled for implementation in 2015.

Colbert didn't need to worry about his job, but some 50% of U.S. workers are not covered by federal family leave protections

When Comedy Central briefly suspended new episodes of “The Colbert Report” in February, reports surfaced that host Stephen Colbert had left New York to be with his ailing 91-year-old mother.

Later, Colbert told viewers he had just returned from a week in Charleston, S.C. The youngest of 11 children, he is very close to his mother, Lorna. In 1974, when Colbert was 10 years old, his father and two older brothers were killed in a plane crash.

As the star of his show, there was no question Colbert’s job would be there when he got back. But his sudden departure may have workers wondering whether they too have the right to take a leave in the case of a family health emergency or the grave illness of a relative. The answer: not necessarily.

Read more from Forbes.com »

The report, titled “Discounted Jobs: How Retailers Sell Workers Short,” surveyed 436 workers in jobs across the five boroughs, making it one of the most comprehensive studies to date on the industry’s workforce in New York.

It found retail workers are often paid poverty-level wages, rarely receive benefits, lack paid sick days, and many are forced to rely on government programs.

Some of the highlights findings:

A third of New York City retail workers support families on less than $10 an hour, and more than half rely on government programs for health care or simply live without it.

Nearly one-third of those surveyed supported at least one additional family member on their wages; their median income was $9.50 an hour.

Typically, retail has been considered an entry-level job, focused on younger employees or women who are also juggling family-raising duties. But more than 70% of surveyed workers had completed some college or possessed a college degree.

Read the full story from Crain’s New York Business: Retail workers struggle to make ends meet »

Your nose is running, your throat is scratchy, and your eyes are burning. But you drag yourself out of bed, dress, and head to the office anyway feeling virtuous and sick. Once there, you proceed to share your virus with your coworkers. But at least you showed up to get the job done, right?

Wrong, according to a new study. Presenteeism — attending work while ill — is not always a smart choice for individuals or the organizations for which they work. It is entirely possible that a worker who is ill may be present physically, but mentally he or she might as well be home in bed.

A flu or cold virus or other illness spreading among coworkers can mean the loss of more than one employee’s productivity. It can paralyze entire departments. The study found that certain organizational cultures tend to promote presenteeism, or at least discourage absenteeism.

For the study, Gary Johns, a management professor at Concordia’s John Molson School of Business surveyed 444 people, asking about their job requirements, work experience, the numbers of days they had been out sick (absenteeism), and the number of days they had come to work feeling ill (presenteeism).

Read more from The Atlantic: The Cost of Not Taking a Sick Day »