JWFNY’s advocacy efforts broaden the scope of our work and complement our grantmaking. Each year we hold discussions with experts in various political and social fields, research the needs of our grantees, and determine an issue related to women and girls where we focus our actions.
Current Advocacy Efforts: Women in the Workplace
JWFNY is excited to launch a new advocacy and policy agenda on issues pertaining to women in the workplace. Fair workplace policies for women, equal work for equal pay, and gender equality in the workplace are among the topics we are discussing. The Advocacy and Policy Committee spent last year researching this issue and is in the process of building strategic partnerships and a comprehensive agenda.
In most families in the United States, all of the adults work. Fewer than one-in-three children have a full-time stay at home parent. Women now constitute about half of all workers on United States’ payrolls and earn the majority of college degrees, but continue to earn only about 77 percent of what men earn. The wage gap is not just an issue affecting women; the changing nature of today’s families and workforce impact men, women, children, and communities at large.
Equal Pay Day
JWFNY is a member of the New York Women’s Agenda coalition on Equal Pay Day, a day dedicated to promoting equal pay for men and women. While the concept of equal pay for equal work is now widely accepted in the United States, it isn’t enforced appropriately. By joining Equal Pay Day, JWFNY is promoting policy and legislative action on all levels and is calling on the government to create fair pay practices.
Funding Fair Workplaces
When determining grant recipients, JWFNY places great importance on the percentage of women represented on the board of directors and among the leadership staff. Parental leave and flexible schedule policies are also vital components. In addition, JWFNY is proud to support groups that advocate on behalf of women’s rights in the workplace. A current grant to Advancing Women Professionals and the Jewish Community, supports their Better Work Life Campaign, a call for the Jewish community to adopt new approaches to work-life balance and organizational effectiveness. JWFNY is also currently funding Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, and has recently funded Uri L’tzedek and Israel Women’s Network, which organize their communities and influence policies related to women in the workforce.
