Women’s Economic Security Agenda Would Create Greater Economic Security For Working Families

Many working families in Maryland aren’t paid enough to make ends meet, can’t take time off work when a child is sick, or face erratic working hours that make it more challenging to arrange child care. These are especially difficult problems for women workers in the state. A package of proposed legislation known as the Women’s Economic Security Agenda would help create greater economic security for working families by addressing these issues.

Ensuring a Healthier Workforce

Everyone gets sick from time to time but for too many Maryland workers, taking time off from their jobs to get better means giving up a day’s pay or possibly even losing a job.

The Healthy Working Families Act would ensure that most Maryland workers have the opportunity to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to seven full days each year.  This would make a big difference in the lives of the 720,000 Maryland workers who often have to choose whether to go to work sick, send a sick child to school or daycare, or risk taking unpaid time off from work.  A smaller paycheck due to unpaid time off might mean a family can’t afford enough groceries that month or have to miss paying an electric bill. These sick leave days are crucial for working families who need to pick up a feverish child from school or need a day to see a doctor.

The bill also affords paid “safe leave” for employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This requires employers to allow workers to take time off for doctor’s appointments, legal services, counseling, relocation, and victim’s services.

A Helping Hand When It’s Needed

The Family & Medical Leave Act would create a state-run insurance fund to provide up to 12 weeks of partial wages for Maryland workers who need to care for a new child, take care of a serious health condition that the they or a family member faces, or take time off due a family member’s military deployment.

An employee on family or medical leave would receive 66 percent of his or her salary from the state fund, which is similar to short-term disability. Providing paid family leave would help more people keep their jobs and some salary while they care for their families. This would reduce dependence on costlier public assistance and public health programs.

While these policies would benefit everyone, they would be particularly helpful to new mothers. According to a national study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 57 percent of mothers of newborns and nearly two-thirds of women with children under 6 are in the workforce. Nearly one in four new mothers return to work in less than two weeks after having a child because they cannot afford to take unpaid leave. The Family & Medical Leave Fund would give these mothers the time to recover properly and care for their newborns without worrying about how their family will continue to afford rent and food.

Better Work Scheduling for Part-time Workers

Another challenge affecting many Maryland families is the unpredictable practices some employers use when scheduling part-time workers. Almost half of people who work part time receive their schedules one week or less in advance. Employers also are able to schedule workers as “on-call” for the day without any guarantee of work or pay, cancel shifts at the last minute, and send workers home early without paying them.  If workers are unable to meet these expectations, they are often punished with fewer hours or risk being fired.

The Fair Scheduling Act would require employers to give three weeks’ notice of work schedules and would allow workers to decline any hours scheduled with less notice. This would enable workers to plan ahead to meet their work and non-work responsibilities. The law also would require employers to pay employees for up to four hours of work when they are scheduled for on-call shifts. This will encourage employers to create stable, predictable schedules. Improving scheduling and leave options for families will also benefit businesses by reducing employee turnover, saving on hiring and training expenses.

Leveling the Playing Field

Despite prior federal and state legislation that tried to address the wage gap, a woman working in Maryland makes only 80 cents for every dollar made by men in comparable jobs. This wage  disparity is even greater for women of color: African American woman make 70 cents, and  Latina women 47 cents for every dollar paid to a man doing comparable work.

The Equal Pay for Equal Work Act of 2016 will build on past legislation to protect workers from employer retaliation if they share salary information with their colleagues. This will make it easier for employees to learn about wage differences in their workplace. The bill also would allow legal representatives of workers claiming wage discrimination to compare wages paid in different facilities or offices within in the same county of the same employer. This means that employers would be required to show that the wage differential is truly related to job performance.

Hardworking Marylanders are struggling to build better futures for their families. Inadequate wages, no paid sick leave, and erratic scheduling make it even harder for people to get ahead. Passing the bills in the Women’s Economic Security Agenda will promote greater opportunity for all Marylanders, especially women, who are more likely to face these obstacles.