The Women’s Legislative Network hosts The Monthly Boost, a webinar series celebrating the strength of female representation in state legislatures. Once a month, join colleagues to learn, grow and connect on issues important to you.
Archived Webinars
The Many Hats of Caregiving: From Child Care to Aging Parents, May 13, 2022
Women bear most of the burden of caregiving in this country. With the supply of child care on the decline and the rise of our aging population, the demands are becoming more challenging. COVID-19 magnified the issues families face with rising child care costs and has resulted in how we think about approaches to care for our nation’s youngest citizens. According to AARP, two out of three caregivers are women. This Monthly Boost explores policy solutions for these unique challenges effecting women.
Experts:
- Jennifer Palmer, senior policy specialist, NCSL
- Lauren Ryan, senior legislative representative, Government Affairs Family and Caregiving Team, AARP
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Efforts to Bolster the Workforce and Close the Pay Gap, April 8, 2022
Women consistently earn less than men. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, women earned 82 cents for every dollar a man earned. While the gap has narrowed since the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and more younger women enter male-dominated occupations, the gender wage gap persists. For women of color and women older than 45, the gap is even larger. The types of jobs women work effects this gap and recent data tells us more about the impact of the pay gap. During this session, WLN will host a discussion on what states are doing to close the pay gap. Emily Martin, expert at the National Women’s Law Center, will provide an overview of the issue and state actions. And the Women’s Bureau will share a recent report and current data that looks into the impact of gender and racial inequality.
Speakers:
- Emily Martin, vice-president for Education and Workplace Justice, National Women’s Law Center
- Sarah Jane Glynn, U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau
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The Monthly Boost: Celebrating Women’s History, March 11, 2022
The second installment in the series celebrates Women’s History Month with a look at how women have strengthened legislatures and the workforce. We’ll focus on the historical lessons learned from the NCSL podcast series “Building Democracy,” including the ways women have contributed to the legislative institution. We’ll hear about the impact women have had on building equity in the workforce.
Moderator:
- Anne Sappenfield, director, Wisconsin Legislative Council, NCSL staff vice chair
Speakers:
- Megan McClure, co-host, “Building Democracy” podcast series, policy analyst, Legislative Staff Services Program, NCSL
- Taryn Williams, assistant secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
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The Monthly Boost Launch, Feb. 11, 2022
The first session will offer an introduction to the WLN and practical training on finding resiliency during challenging times. When we encounter difficult circumstances in life, it is easy to feel anxious, overwhelmed or defeated. We can feel ill-equipped to deal with the uncertainty and change that swirls around us. But this doesn’t have to be the case. NCSL's training expert will offer several simple, easy-to-employ tactics that can build our capacity for “grit”—the ability to demonstrate perseverance, mental strength and resiliency in the face of life’s challenges.
Moderator:
- Martha Saenz, associate director, WLN, NCSL
Speaker:
- Curt Stedron, director, Legislative Training, NCSL
- Representative Stephanie Clayton, Kansas, WLN president-elect
- Representative Shelia Stubbs, Wisconsin, WLN board member
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