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Sign on to support women in low-wage jobs

Author: Renee Cerullo/Thursday, July 31, 2014

Take the Pledge

Support a new economic agenda that works for women in low-wage jobs.

Take Action

Child care workers. Maids. Fast-food employees. Restaurant servers. Home health care aides.

They're jobs that are more likely to be done by women.

And that's not good news.

Because if you're in one of these jobs, which typically pay $10.10 an hour or less, you may well be living below the poverty line. You may be struggling to afford health care and child care. And you may face discrimination and sexual harassment.

We just released a new report showing that regardless of their education level, age, marital or parental status, race, ethnicity, or national origin, women are more likely to work in a low-wage job than their male counterparts. For women to get ahead, we need to improve working conditions and policy supports for workers in these jobs.

Sign on to support a new economic agenda that works for women in low-wage jobs.

Working in a low-wage job makes supporting a family incredibly difficult. In addition to the constant struggle to make ends meet, workers in these jobs face a drumbeat of challenges and headaches — like lack of access to affordable child care and paid sick days, discrimination and harassment, unpredictable work schedules, and barriers to reproductive health care.

Not to mention a wage gap. Yes, even in these low-wage jobs, women working full time, year round are paid 13 percent less than men.

Something's got to give.

Pledge to support an economic agenda that works for women in low-wage jobs.

In our report, Underpaid and Overloaded: Women in Low-Wage Jobs, we outline an agenda that addresses the needs of low-wage workers. On the agenda:

  • Increase economic security
  • Support workers with family responsibilities
  • Enforce protections against employment discrimination
  • Create and expand pathways to educational opportunities
  • Strengthen opportunities for collective action

Sign the pledge — to show your support for taking action for women in low-wage jobs.

If we can make these policies a reality, they won't only improve the lives of workers in low-wage jobs and their families. They'll make our economy stronger for everyone.

Thank you for everything you do for women and their families.

Sincerely,

National Women's Law Center

P.S. Visit www.nwlc.org/LowWage to download the full report.

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