News
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.
Portland “Safe” Days for Domestic Violence
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. A key aspect of this law is that it includes the time accrued can be use for safe days […]
Flex Time is Business Savvy.
Oregonian editorial board member Susan Nielsen attended our workshop on creating a flexible workplace in Portland on October 16th, where she heard from the experts. Our “local experts” panel included Katrina Yuen of FMYI, Joni George of Climax Portland Machining & Welding Systems, Diane Boly of Boly:Welch, and Kristi Manseth of the Center for Work-Family Stress, […]
Boly:Welch | Spotlight on Flexibility
Boly:Welch was founded by two working moms who have created an extremely caring and community-oriented workplace culture. As one employee said, “the word FAMILY comes up a lot in our office.” There are many, many stories of times that the company has supported its employees in profound ways.
FMYI | Spotlight on Flexibility
FMYI (For My Innovation) is a small software company that creates a private online social networking tool to facilitate collaborative work. They have 10 employees, 6 of whom live and work outside of Oregon.