Women Vote

We keep them informed. @WomenVotePA is the action arm of the Women's Law Project of Pennsylvania

[womenvotepa]

Take a look at this Storify to see doctors speak out about organizing against this attack.

[taramurtha-blog]

March to End Rape Culture

Philadelphia

October 3, 2015

[womenvotepa]

Testimony template for supporting PA’s HB 1176

[Date]

The Honorable Mauree Gingrich

Chair, House Labor & Industry Committee

House of Representatives

Harrisburg, PA 17120

 Dear Representative Gingrich:

 Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony on HB 1176 concerning reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. I strongly support this legislation.

 [Please write about your experience in this section.]

·         Here, you can describe your general perspective on  the importance and necessity of working to support your family, and how you believe that Pennsylvania should support pregnant workers.  

 OR

 ·         Here, you can describe the positive experience you had working while pregnant thanks to progressive policies in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, or by luck—you work for a progressive employer who voluntarily made minor, temporary accommodations so that you could continue to fulfill your work duties and work as far into your pregnancy as you needed. Please share your personal experience, and express how important having these temporary minor accommodations are or were to your ability to maintain a healthy pregnancy while continuing to earn a paycheck. If you live in a city with better policies than the state, you can point out that all Pennsylvania women deserve the same protection.

 OR

 ·         If you experienced challenges working while pregnant because an employer did not grant minor temporary accommodations—in other words, if you were in the exact situation that this bill will help women avoid in the future--please share describe your experience. We often hear examples of employers refusing to allow employees to carry a water bottle, or lean on a stool, but it is important that lawmakers understand the broad range of challenges to working while pregnant without reasonable accommodations.

 Close your testimony by urging the Rep. Gingrich to support HB1176, and urging House members to co-sponsor both this bill, and a companion bill providing for reasonable accommodations for nursing mothers. You can add whatever language you would like here about workplace equity, economic justice and how important it is that Pennsylvania support pregnant workers.

 We suggest you say: We urge you to support HB1176 and pass it quickly into law. We also urge you to support the companion bill HB 1100, Sanitary Conditions for Nursing Mothers.

 Sincerely,

 [Your name]

[Your county]

[womenvotepa]

Testimony template in support of PA’s HB 1100

[Date]

 The Honorable Mauree Gingrich

Chair, House Labor & Industry Committee

House of Representatives

Harrisburg, PA 17120

 Dear Representative Gingrich:

 Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony on HB 1100 concerning accommodations for nursing mothers. I strongly support this legislation.

 [Please write about your experience in this section.]

·         Here, you can describe your general feelings about the value of nursing your child or children, and how you believe Pennsylvania women should not be forced to stop nursing their children before they are ready due to unnecessary and arbitrary obstacles to pumping breastmilk in the workplace. These obstacles often include an employer’s refusal to accommodate break time or provide a private, sanitary space.

 OR

 ·         Here, you can describe the positive experience you had maintaining your breastfeeding schedule while working thanks to progressive policies in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, or by luck—you work for a progressive employer who did not choose to make this harder for you than it already is. Please share your personal experience, and express how important having these temporary minor accommodations are or were to your ability to care for your child and your child’s health.

 OR

 ·         If you experienced challenges continuing to breastfeed your child specifically because of the difficulty of finding the break time and a private, sanitary space—in other words, if you were in the exact situation that this bill will help women avoid in the future--please share describe your experience.

 Close your testimony by urging the Rep. Gingrich to support HB1100 and HB1176, and urging House members to co-sponsor these bills. You can add whatever language you would like here about workplace equity, economic justice and how important it is that Pennsylvania support working mothers.

 We suggest you say: We urge you to support HB1100 and pass it quickly into law. We also urge you to support the companion bill, HB 1176 Workplace Accommodations for Pregnant Women.

 Sincerely,

 [Your name]

[Your county]

[womenvotepa]

Grannies for Peace Brigade representing outside of Planned Parenthood in Philadelphia yesterday, where an anti-choice activists gathered to pray to defund women’s health services. 

[womenvotepa]

Today is Equal Pay day for Native American women, which is nothing to celebrate: it means that on average, Native American women had to work until today in order to earn “equal pay” for last year.

All women deserve equal pay.

Here in Pennsylvania, the state held the first hearings on the subject of Equal Pay last fall, and there’s are bills in both chambers currently under consideration. The legislation has not been updated since 1959.

It’s 2015. It’s time for equal pay NOW.

[womenvotepa]

A review of Planned Parenthood facilities throughout Pennsylvania initiated in response to an anti-choice video propaganda campaign has turned up no evidence of wrongdoing, according to state officials.

State officials: No Wrongdoing at Planned Parenthood in Pennsylvania

[womenvotepa]

"Is it shocking that in 2015 the organization, as well as the term "Planned Parenthood" remains threatening enough to shut it down? Let's not gloss over the fact that many of those threatened are men - which by the way make up 84 percent of Congress. It's not a coincidence that the threat rises in proportion to the amount of power, influence and earnings women bring to the world. The last bastion of control is the control over women's bodies and the choices they make for those bodies, including whether to have children."

Philadelphia Daily News

[womenvotepa]

Successful Lawsuit Against PA Department of Human Services Is Big Win for Nearly 75,000 Women

Women Unjustly Denied Medicaid Coverage Now Covered

Pennsylvania – After being unjustly blocked from full Medicaid coverage despite being qualified for the plan, nearly 75,000 low-income Pennsylvania women now have full healthcare coverage as a result of a settled lawsuit filed against the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS). The affected Pennsylvanians were all women enrolled in SelectPlan for Women, a limited type of Medicaid that only covers family planning services.

After learning of the Commonwealth’s refusal to transition qualified women on SelectPlan into full coverage in a timely manner, Women’s Law Project and Community Legal Services filed a federal lawsuit against DHS on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Voices Pittsburgh, and private citizens.

In response to the lawsuit, DHS reviewed the cases of 74,415 women who were enrolled in SelectPlan. They determined that over 59,000 of them were eligible for Medicaid, and transferred them accordingly. They referred another roughly 14,700 women to the federally facilitated marketplace. Women on SelectPlan who do not qualify for full Medicaid or the exchange will remain on SelectPlan until at least June 30.

“We are pleased to see the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services finally enable these women to obtain full healthcare coverage, and appreciate the Department’s attention and hard work to resolve the matter,” says Sue Frietsche, Women’s Law Project Senior Staff Attorney. “Now that the state has finally expanded Medicaid as intended under the Affordable Care Act, there is simply no good reason to exclude anyone qualified from it. Not even women.”

“The full healthcare coverage now available to these women is absolutely vital to their wellbeing,” says Amy Hirsch, Managing Attorney at Community Legal Services. “The women who have benefitted from this settlement are low wage workers; they must be healthy in order to work, and this new health coverage will go a long way towards helping them stay employed and able to provide for themselves and their families.”

For more information or to request an interview with an attorney who worked on this case, contact Tara Murtha at [email protected] 215.928.5762, or Amy Hirsch at [email protected] or 215.227.2415.

Founded in 1974, the Women’s Law Project is the only public interest law center devoted to women’s rights in Pennsylvania. Founded in 1966, Community Legal Services has served more than one million clients who could not afford to pay for legal representation.

###

[womenvotepa]

RIP Pittsburgh icon, pro-choice feminist and grand old dame of the Republican party Elsie Hillman. 

They don’t make ‘em like they used to. 

RB: So you were somewhat of a rebel? EH: (Laughing) I don’t know, I didn’t know exactly what I was supposed to do, I was the fourth child and I was trouble in river city."

[womenvotepa]

We need to say that women have sex, have abortions, are at peace with the decision and move on with their lives. We need to say that is their right, and, moreover, it’s good for everyone that they have this right: The whole society benefits when motherhood is voluntary.

How to Really Defend Planned Parenthood, Katha Pollitt, NYT

[womenvotepa]

Via WomenVotePA: Pittsburgh is now the 20th city nationwide to grant workers paid sick leave. Four states have also passed paid sick leave requirements.

[womenvotepa]

Yesterday, a giant green booger walked into the Pittsburgh City Council while  Women’s Law Project attorney Tara Pfeifer was testifying for earned paid sick days. 

Tara reportedly kept her composure. 

City Council will vote Monday.

[womenvotepa]

Tomorrow! Rally for earned paid sick days in Pittsburgh!

Join citizens and advocates in calling for a meaningful paid sick day ordinance in Pittsburgh at a rally Thursday, July 30, at 1pm at the Pittsburgh City County Building, 414 Grant St 5th Floor.

RSVP for the rally at the Facebook page for Pittsburgh United.

Learn more and sign a petition supporting paid sick days at www.pghneedspaidsickdays.org

Are you a Pennsylvania business that supports a fair minimum wage? Sign here.

[womenvotepa]

On July 10, a 28-year-old black woman named Sandra Bland was driving in Texas when she was pulled over for failing to signal while changing lanes. Three days later, Bland was found dead in a jail cell. Authorities say she committed suicide, but the family are suspicious of that claim. According to CNN, county officials didn’t provide proof that jail staff had two hours of annual training with “the local mental health authorities … in accordance with their approved Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan.” They also failed to check in with her as frequently as the law requires. Authorities released video of the arrest, which shows an irate police trooper threaten to “light her up” with a taser, and then yank Bland out of the car. Off camera, Bland is heard yelling, “You are about to break my wrist!” As advocates for women’s equality, we must speak out against violence against women of color.  We urge you to sign this petition calling on Attorney General Loretta Lynch to open a federal investigation into the death of Sandra Bland. We will continue to #SayHerName.

WomenVotePA

[womenvotepa]

Rape and other forms of sexual misconduct are in fact violations of both criminal and civil law, most notably civil rights laws relating to employment and education.

http://www.thelegalintelligencer.com/id=1202732986928/Sexual-Assault-as-a-Civil-Rights-Violation-Under-Title-IX#ixzz3gq5SUaic

[womenvotepa]

We are thrilled to share the news that Terry L. Fromson, managing attorney of the Women’s Law Project, has been chosen to receive a prestigious 20/20 Vision Award from the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence. Marking its 20th anniversary, the Commission created the 20/20 Vision Award to honor 20 lawyers who have played key roles in improving societal response to domestic and sexual violence. Fromson will be honored along with Vice President Joe Biden, who introduced the Violence Against Women Act in 1990, Senator Patrick Leahy, and other visionary leaders from across the country.

Read the full story here.