Tag: featured

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.

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, […]

Regional Livability Summit | FFO on Workplace Wellness

Portland-based Coalition for a Livable Future’s annual Regional Livability Summit 2013 is coming up on Friday, October 11th in Portland — and we’re presenting!

This year’s theme is Equity in Action: Map to a Healthy Future. FFO Executive Director Andrea Paluso will talk about the importance of paid sick days for a healthy economy and workforce in Portland and beyond, and FFO Deputy Director Sharon Bernstein will talk about the role workplace flexibility plays in workplace performance and employee wellness.

Workshop: Creating a Flexible Workplace | October 16th

Flexibility at work can work. It’s far more than a trend or a buzzword. Real workplace flexibility has the potential to enhance your work environment, boost productivty, attract (and retain) talent, and enable employees to care responsibly for themselves and their families – which is good for all of us.  But for those who haven’t run with it yet, the big question is HOW?

Have we got the training for you! Click here for details and to register.

2013 Work Flexibility Award Winners

We know that creating a family-forward workplace takes courage and leadership.  We also know that Oregon families – and businesses – do better when workplaces are flexible.  And in the 21st century, it’s THE way to work.

In 2013, Family Forward Oregon once again brought the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility to Oregon to a truly outstanding group of employers in an outstanding crowd.

What Happened in Salem? Our 2013 Legislative Update

Oregon’s 2013 state legislative session recently ended after a busy five months.  We focused on four issues during the session that fit our vision of a family-forward Oregon: Paid sick days, Equal pay for Equal work, Retirement security, and Domestic workers’ rights.

We know you want progress in these areas (and others!) as much as we do, so we are writing today with a legislative progress report.  We accomplished a lot with our elected and non-profit partners in Oregon’s 2013 legislative session: two of our priority bills passed (pay equity and retirement security studies), and two made significant headway in what is typically a multi-year process.

Poverty in Oregon’s Working Families

People have a lot of ideas about who is poor and why  — some accurate, some inaccurate.  We prefer the facts, and believe that the more people know them the more people will support the smart policies that we advocate for today’s families to be economically secure while raising a family.  When it comes to […]