We did it! With your help, we made history for Illinois families with the passage of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act!
More than a million workers across Illinois have no right to even a single paid sick day, forcing too many to make impossible decisions. Do you stay home—and lose a paycheck and maybe even your job—or go to work and risk your own health and the health of others?
Workers in Illinois will no longer have to make that choice. The Paid Leave for All Workers Act, which passed on January 10th, gives full- and part-time workers across the state the opportunity to earn up to 40 hours of paid time off for any reason, including to care for yourself when you’re ill, to care for sick family members, and to address an emergency that requires you to be absent from work.
This victory did not come quickly—we’ve been fighting for statewide paid sick time since I started at WE 15 years ago. But thanks to the persistence of our coalition and supporters like you, we FINALLY got this bill across the finish line earlier this month. Thank you to each and every one of you who took action, called and wrote your legislators, provided financial support, and advocated alongside us for years to make this happen. YOU are the reason for this victory!
The bill now moves to Governor Pritzker’s desk for his signature, and we look forward to seeing this important bill become law.
As Women Employed enters our 50th anniversary year, we are so thrilled to have made more history. But we’re not done. We have a robust 2023 legislative agenda, and we need your help to advance long-term paid family and medical leave, a full and fair wage for tipped workers, financial aid that makes college affordable, and more. Stick with us as we fight to make Illinois a great place to work for all workers!
In Solidarity, |
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Celebrating 50 Years of Smashing the Status Quo for Working Women |
Did you hear the news? In February, Women Employed will turn 50! In February 1973, when a small group of women gathered to fight discrimination against working women and improve working conditions in downtown Chicago, they could not have envisioned the role Women Employed would play in driving change. As we get ready to mark 50 years of momentous impact, winning paid sick time for ALL Illinois workers is a great way to kick off the year! Celebrate with us! Starting next month, you’ll find fun anniversary content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and on our website. Look for ways you can join the celebration and help us make more history! |
Summer Leadership Program Applications Are Now Open
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Women Employed's Summer Leadership Program, generously sponsored by The Pattis Family Foundation, provides a unique opportunity for professional skill building and practical experience by exposing a team of interns to leadership training, front-line research, and an awareness of the barriers low-paid workers experience.
The program seeks to introduce students and recent graduates to all areas of nonprofit work through workshops, guest speakers, and projects. Throughout the summer, interns will become familiar with the history and future of the women's movement; participate in professional development workshops on effective advocacy, nonprofit organizational development, and communications; and explore aspects of social justice work with guest speakers.
Want to know what makes this program so special? Hear former Summer Leaders talk about the program’s impact.
Applications will be accepted from now until March 27th, 2023. If you or someone you know is interested in a career in nonprofit work and passionate about improving women's economic status, click below to apply today!
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Nominate An Honoree for The Working Lunch
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This year, Women Employed (WE) celebrates 50 years of Smashing the Status Quo for working women, and WE want to share the spotlight! At The Working Lunch on May 25, 2023, we will honor people and organizations who have used their power to open doors, crash ceilings, and create fundamental and systemic change.
We want to hear from you! Help us recognize those changemakers by submitting a nomination for an honoree. We are seeking to honor individuals and organizations that are blazing trails and demonstrating their commitment to boldly Smash the Status Quo to advance economic equity for women, and to raise the floor and make an impact at the intersection of gender and race.
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We are accepting nominations in the following categories:
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Emerging Power Builder Award: An emergent leader who is building power in the community, making waves, and changing narratives, landscapes, or outcomes that remove barriers to economic equity at the intersection of gender and race.
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Corporate Leader Award: A corporation who is evidently committed and actively working to remove barriers to equity and who is leading on advancing policies and practices that create inclusive workplaces where women thrive.
All nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 10th. To nominate an individual or organization, complete the nomination form.
Questions? Contact Michelle Schwartz, Women Employed's Senior Events and Volunteer Manager, at mschwartz@womenemployed.org, or at (312) 481-6770.
And stay tuned! Registration for The Working Lunch will open soon, and we’d love to have you join us for the celebration—so keep an eye on your inbox and on our social media channels.
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Welcome New WE Staff Members
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The Women Employed team has grown quite a bit over the last year. In the last six months, we’ve welcomed FIVE new staff members! Each team member brings their own set of fresh ideas, creativity, talent, and expertise, but one thing they all have in common is their passion for our mission!
Please join us in formally welcoming them!
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Cher Alfaro – Marketing Coordinator
Shelby Flores – WE Hub Manager
Kendra Randall – Associate Director of People and Culture
Efrata Sasahulih – Program and Research Coordinator
Michelle Schwartz – Senior Events and Volunteer Manager
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“She Says” with Michelle Foik, Co-Owner of ERIS Brewery and Cider House |
If you were to ask ERIS Brewery and Cider House co-owner Michelle Foik what influenced her decision to open a cidery, the answer is found in her commitment to remaining in alignment. For Michelle, going into the hospitality industry was as natural for her as breathing. Growing up the child of hotel and restaurant owners, she fell in love with being around people, and when the time came to decide what career path to take, she continued down that road.
Soon after arriving in Chicago, her love for the hospitality industry led her to seek in-depth knowledge of running a restaurant. But it was her love for craft beer that blazed the trail for her to step into a management role with Goose Island, collaborate with her colleagues to open Revolution Brewing, and later find her true calling in cider and apples.
Michelle’s journey to where she is now is a true lesson of what it means to do what resonates with your spirit. And after achieving great success in her career, she now looks for ways to pay it forward by assisting the next generation of women-owned breweries and cideries―providing them with resources, education, and mentorship to better equip them with the tools needed to succeed.
Read this month’s edition of “She Says” to learn more about Michelle, how she’s smashing her own status quo and the importance of not gatekeeping resources from women entrepreneurs.
And don’t miss your chance to taste her cider—and support Women Employed—at the Chicago Cider Summit on February 4th. Use the code WEx2 at checkout to double Cider Summit’s donation to WE!
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Get Your Tickets for the 9th Annual Chicago Cider Summit |
We’re excited to announce that Women Employed has been selected as the non-profit beneficiary of the 9th annual Chicago Cider Summit Festival!
The summit is the region’s largest hard cider tasting event, featuring local, regional and international mead, cider cocktails, apple spirits and more. Get your tickets for Saturday, February 4th and join us at Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom as we taste, toast, and celebrate the launch of WE’s 50th Anniversary Year!
Saturday, February 4th
Session One: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Session Two: 4 – 8 p.m.
Aon Grand Ballroom, Navy Pier
Purchase Tickets: Get your tickets today and use promo code WEx2 at checkout to double the Cider Summit’s donation to Women Employed: https://www.cidersummitnw.com/tickets-2
Questions? If you have questions or are interested in volunteering with Women Employed at the summit, please email Michelle Schwartz, WE Senior Events and Volunteer Manager at mschwartz@womenemployed.org.
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Join The Next Advocacy Council Meeting |
| The Advocacy Council is WE's volunteer group that meets to mobilize, advocate, inform, "friendraise", and fundraise to advance the movement for women's economic equality.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 21st from 5:30 p.m.—7 p.m. and registration is required. For more information, contact Michelle Schwartz, Senior Events and Volunteer Manager at mschwartz@womenemployed.org.
To RSVP, click the button below.
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