News
What is a flexible workplace, exactly?
There’s been a lot of buzz lately about flexible workplaces. But what is a flexible workplace, exactly? And why should we care? Find out here.
Making Childcare More Affordable
We spoke up in Salem for more affordable childcare this year — and we got it!
And it’s just the beginning of what we have in mind for creating a childcare system that actually works for the people who need childcare (parents!) and the people who provide it (childcare workers!). And yes, the children who attend it.
Overwhelmed? Meet the Author!
We’re excited to be hosting a great author event with author Brigid Schulte in a few weeks. In her new book, “Overwhelmed: Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time,” Schulte, a Washington Post reporter and Portland native, takes a close look at our culture of overwork – especially how it affects working parents. She dives deep into the “why” behind what she calls “the overwhelm” (worthy of a noun!) and searches for ways to solve it — in our public policies and personal lives.
Not surprisingly, her proposed solutions include policy changes like affordable childcare, paid family leave, and paid sick days, among other common-sense work-family policies that Family Forward Oregon is advocating for here in Oregon.
On Ramping Workshop | March 18th
We’re hosting a “how to” workshop for On Rampers, including a panel discussion and two break-out sessions, one on resumé writing and one on interviewing skills. And some conversation about just getting started – which can feel like the hardest part! Plus coffee and connections with others, of course.
FMLA was a good first step, but it’s time for a leap
When Janet’s second baby was born she took a seven-week unpaid maternity leave made possible by the now 21-year-old Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Seven weeks. It’s all she could afford. Just the week before she returned to work Janet hemorrhaged due to a retained placenta and lost a third of her blood. She was weak and needed more time at home to recover, but she just couldn’t afford to be away from work any longer.
The Shriver Report | A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything
The third Shriver Report was just released by A Woman’s Nation and the Center for American Progress on January 7, 2014. According to Ellen Bravo, our partner at Family Values @ Work, “What the Shriver Report makes clear is that both women and men are breadwinners and caregivers – and they need policies that allow them to succeed at both. Otherwise millions of families are just one illness or birth away from economic peril.”
Just Released! Oregon Equal Pay Report
In April 2013 we visited the Oregon state legislature to advocate (successfully) for SB 744, the bill that triggered a state report on the wage gap. We co-authored this Guest Opinion piece in The Oregonian about it. And in June 2013 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the federal Equal Pay Act, a period during which some progress has been made toward pay parity, but not nearly enough.
So we are quite pleased that the Oregon Council on Civil Rights’ report on understanding and eliminating our state’s wage gap was released on January 27th in Eugene with Senator Chris Edwards, the bill’s chief sponsor, and Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, who will move the report recommendations forward with legislative partners.
Great Ideas @ Work | Newsletter for Employers | Winter 2014
Welcome to our first quarterly Great Ideas @ Work newsletter! We hope you’ll enjoy this easy way to stay-up-to date on all things family-friendly at work. Please share widely with your colleagues, friends, and anyone else interested in effective, flexible workplaces.
Here’s what you’ll discover in the inaugural Winter 2014 edition of our Great Ideas @ Work newsletter:
2013 was a big year for FFO!
As 2014 nears, with all its opportunities, we wanted to take a moment to reflect back on how far we’ve come since January 2013. We hope you are as inspired as we are by the incredible movement we are building to create an Oregon where families have the time it takes to care for each other without sacrificing their economic security. Here are some highlights from our biggest year yet:
First there was Black Friday. Then came Cyber Monday. Both designed to kick off a season of, well, spending. But wait! Isn’t is supposed to be the season of sharing? We think so. And there’s a new way to kick off your Season of Sharing: Giving Tuesday! This year Family Forward Oregon is participating in […]
Sick Days in Portland | Effective January 1, 2014
On January 1, 2014, the City of Portland’s new paid sick days ordinance goes into effect. What does that mean to people working in Portland? This FAQ will help you know your rights under the law.