Lexology.com
Seyfarth Shaw LLP Valerie J. Hoffman
and Leslie M. Solondz
USA
July 18 2011
According to Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) will provide a key avenue for victims of employment discrimination seeking class-wide relief, particularly following the United States Supreme Court's decision in Dukes, et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. During a speech given at the National Employment Lawyers Association's 22nd Annual Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 1, Solis spoke about "the big impact with limited resources at the Department of Labor." She stated her belief that OFCCP is "a vital civil rights agency within the federal government," particularly in the wake of the Dukes v. Wal-Mart decision, which many commentators believe made certifying nationwide class actions more difficult. In Dukes, as described in our Management Alert here, the Supreme Court made it more difficult for plaintiffs to satisfy the "commonality" requirement for class certification under Rule 23(a)(2), and also held that claims for backpay and other monetary relief may not be certified under the injunctive or declaratory relief provisions of Rule 23(b)(2), where such monetary damages are not incidental to such relief.
Full Story:
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Showing posts with label Secretary Hilda Solis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Secretary Hilda Solis. Show all posts
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Women's Employment During the Recovery
The U.S. Department of Labor recently released a report on women's employment during the recovery. The following constitute excerpts from the summary. You may download the actual report here: http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/reports/FemaleLaborForce/FemaleLaborForce.pdf
and hear the Teleconference audio version at http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/reports/femalelaborforce/
DOL report summary:
In 2010, women represented 46.7 percent of the United States labor force, a slightly larger share than at the start of the recession in 2007. Overall 71.9 million women were employed or looking for work, representing 58.6 percent of all women aged 16 and over.
As the overall workforce has become more diverse, so have working women. Among women in the labor force, 13.1 percent are black, 4.7 percent are Asian and 12.8 percent are of Hispanic ethnicity. Along all racial groups, men are more likely to be employed than are women, however black women are almost as likely as black men to be employed — a fact that reflects the lower likelihood of black men working compared to other men. The gender gap is widest among Hispanics — as Hispanic men are more likely than other men to be employed, while Hispanic women are less likely than other women to be employed.
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to work part time. In 2010, 26.6 percent of women worked part time compared to just 13.4 percent of men. More women are currently working part-time than were doing so prior to the recession, reflecting the increase in women working part-time because they can't find full-time work. One in five women working part-time are doing so because they can't find full-time work. Prior to the recession, less than one in ten women working part-time were doing so because they couldn't find full-time work.
Women are nearly 50 percent more likely to work in the public sector than are men with 18.2 percent of employed women working in public sector jobs. Despite this high concentration in a heavily unionized sector — 36.2 percent of those working in the public sector are members of unions compared to 6.9 percent of those in the private sector — women are less likely to belong to a union than are men. In 2010, 11.1 percent of women were union members, compared to 12.6 percent of men.1
Women are less likely to be self-employed, only 5.5 percent, compared to 8.3 percent of men.2 However, women-owned businesses are growing rapidly. According to the most recent Census Bureau Survey of Business Owners (2007), the number of women-owned businesses grew by 20.1 percent between 2002 and 2007, compared to 5.5 percent for men-owned firms. In 2007, the Census counted 7.8 million women-owned business, representing 28.7 percent of all nonfarm businesses in the US.
Women surpass men in educational attainment. Among the employed ages 25 and over, 37.1 percent of women have at least a bachelor's degree compared to 34.9 percent of men. Because women are less likely than men to be in the workforce, female college graduates are still outnumbered by male college graduates in the labor force. However, women with a bachelor's degree outnumber men by 1.6 million in the population as a whole and women are a growing share of college graduates. As such, women college graduates are likely to outnumber male college graduates in the labor force in the near future.
Half of all women working as full-time wage and salary workers earned $669 or more per week in 2010. This median weekly wage was 81.2 percent of that earned by men. Asian women earned the most among women in 2010 — with half of all Asian women earning $778 or more. Hispanic women earned the least, with half of all Hispanic women earning $508 or more per week (and thus half earning less).
The unemployment rate averaged 8.6 percent among women in 2010. Data for March 2011 shows that the economic situation is improving for women, who have seen their unemployment rate decline to 8.3 percent. However, while the private sector has added 1.7 million jobs over the past 12 months, the public sector has lost nearly 400,000. Since women are disproportionately likely to work in the public sector, their unemployment decline has been smaller than that experienced by men. The unemployment rate for men averaged 10.5 percent in 2010 and has declined to 9.3 percent in March 2011. However women continue to have a lower unemployment rate than men, are less likely to be long-term unemployed, and have a median duration of unemployment that was 1.9 weeks shorter than men's in 2010.
Full Summary including charts: http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/reports/femalelaborforce/
and hear the Teleconference audio version at http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/reports/femalelaborforce/
DOL report summary:
In 2010, women represented 46.7 percent of the United States labor force, a slightly larger share than at the start of the recession in 2007. Overall 71.9 million women were employed or looking for work, representing 58.6 percent of all women aged 16 and over.
As the overall workforce has become more diverse, so have working women. Among women in the labor force, 13.1 percent are black, 4.7 percent are Asian and 12.8 percent are of Hispanic ethnicity. Along all racial groups, men are more likely to be employed than are women, however black women are almost as likely as black men to be employed — a fact that reflects the lower likelihood of black men working compared to other men. The gender gap is widest among Hispanics — as Hispanic men are more likely than other men to be employed, while Hispanic women are less likely than other women to be employed.
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to work part time. In 2010, 26.6 percent of women worked part time compared to just 13.4 percent of men. More women are currently working part-time than were doing so prior to the recession, reflecting the increase in women working part-time because they can't find full-time work. One in five women working part-time are doing so because they can't find full-time work. Prior to the recession, less than one in ten women working part-time were doing so because they couldn't find full-time work.
Women are nearly 50 percent more likely to work in the public sector than are men with 18.2 percent of employed women working in public sector jobs. Despite this high concentration in a heavily unionized sector — 36.2 percent of those working in the public sector are members of unions compared to 6.9 percent of those in the private sector — women are less likely to belong to a union than are men. In 2010, 11.1 percent of women were union members, compared to 12.6 percent of men.1
Women are less likely to be self-employed, only 5.5 percent, compared to 8.3 percent of men.2 However, women-owned businesses are growing rapidly. According to the most recent Census Bureau Survey of Business Owners (2007), the number of women-owned businesses grew by 20.1 percent between 2002 and 2007, compared to 5.5 percent for men-owned firms. In 2007, the Census counted 7.8 million women-owned business, representing 28.7 percent of all nonfarm businesses in the US.
Women surpass men in educational attainment. Among the employed ages 25 and over, 37.1 percent of women have at least a bachelor's degree compared to 34.9 percent of men. Because women are less likely than men to be in the workforce, female college graduates are still outnumbered by male college graduates in the labor force. However, women with a bachelor's degree outnumber men by 1.6 million in the population as a whole and women are a growing share of college graduates. As such, women college graduates are likely to outnumber male college graduates in the labor force in the near future.
Half of all women working as full-time wage and salary workers earned $669 or more per week in 2010. This median weekly wage was 81.2 percent of that earned by men. Asian women earned the most among women in 2010 — with half of all Asian women earning $778 or more. Hispanic women earned the least, with half of all Hispanic women earning $508 or more per week (and thus half earning less).
The unemployment rate averaged 8.6 percent among women in 2010. Data for March 2011 shows that the economic situation is improving for women, who have seen their unemployment rate decline to 8.3 percent. However, while the private sector has added 1.7 million jobs over the past 12 months, the public sector has lost nearly 400,000. Since women are disproportionately likely to work in the public sector, their unemployment decline has been smaller than that experienced by men. The unemployment rate for men averaged 10.5 percent in 2010 and has declined to 9.3 percent in March 2011. However women continue to have a lower unemployment rate than men, are less likely to be long-term unemployed, and have a median duration of unemployment that was 1.9 weeks shorter than men's in 2010.
Full Summary including charts: http://www.dol.gov/_sec/media/reports/femalelaborforce/
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Equal Pay Day
U.S. Department of Labor
News Release
WB News Release: [04/11/2011]
Contact Name: Gloria Della or Bennett Gamble
Phone Number: (202) 693-8666 or x4667
Release Number: 11-0531-NAT
Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Equal Pay Day
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding Equal Pay Day, which will be tomorrow, April 12:
"As a growing segment of America's workforce, women now hold nearly half of today's jobs. Their earnings account for a significant portion of the household income that sustains the financial well-being of their families.
"Almost 50 years after enactment of the Equal Pay Act, equal pay for equal work remains elusive for millions of working women. In fact, over the past 10 years, the pay gap has remained virtually unchanged. Today in America, women are paid an average of 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. The pay gap is even larger for women of color, with black women earning about 70 cents, and Latinas about 60 cents, of every dollar paid to all men.
"When women start at a disadvantage, they stay at a disadvantage. Every time a woman starts a new job or tries to negotiate for a pay raise, she is starting from a lower base salary. So, the pay gap grows wider and wider over time. According to the Labor Department's chief economist, the pay gap for the average, full-time working woman means she gets $150 less in her weekly paycheck. If she works all year, that's $8,000 less at the end of the year and approximately $380,000 over a lifetime. That is the real cost of the pay gap.
"In his 2010 State of the Union address, President Obama said he wanted to crack down on equal pay violations. As a result, he established the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force that comprised four federal agencies, including the Labor Department. Working together, we have identified persistent challenges to equal pay enforcement and are taking action to address each of them.
"At the Labor Department, we are increasing our enforcement against employers who discriminate, leveling the playing field for those who do not, strengthening our regulatory authorities and creating opportunities for workplace flexibility so that women can make reasonable choices to care for their families without being penalized. The department's Women's Bureau is developing educational materials, including information to help employers identify potential wage discrimination and resources to assist employers in complying with the law. Our Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs will issue new guidance to collect better data on how workers are paid as part of our efforts to root out discrimination among federal contractors.
"Equal pay is not just a women's issue. It's not just a family issue. It's a recovery issue. I am committed to finding commonsense solutions to closing the pay gap once and for all so that our nation will be a more fair and equitable place for everyone.”
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/wb/wb20110531.htm
News Release
WB News Release: [04/11/2011]
Contact Name: Gloria Della or Bennett Gamble
Phone Number: (202) 693-8666 or x4667
Release Number: 11-0531-NAT
Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Equal Pay Day
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding Equal Pay Day, which will be tomorrow, April 12:
"As a growing segment of America's workforce, women now hold nearly half of today's jobs. Their earnings account for a significant portion of the household income that sustains the financial well-being of their families.
"Almost 50 years after enactment of the Equal Pay Act, equal pay for equal work remains elusive for millions of working women. In fact, over the past 10 years, the pay gap has remained virtually unchanged. Today in America, women are paid an average of 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. The pay gap is even larger for women of color, with black women earning about 70 cents, and Latinas about 60 cents, of every dollar paid to all men.
"When women start at a disadvantage, they stay at a disadvantage. Every time a woman starts a new job or tries to negotiate for a pay raise, she is starting from a lower base salary. So, the pay gap grows wider and wider over time. According to the Labor Department's chief economist, the pay gap for the average, full-time working woman means she gets $150 less in her weekly paycheck. If she works all year, that's $8,000 less at the end of the year and approximately $380,000 over a lifetime. That is the real cost of the pay gap.
"In his 2010 State of the Union address, President Obama said he wanted to crack down on equal pay violations. As a result, he established the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force that comprised four federal agencies, including the Labor Department. Working together, we have identified persistent challenges to equal pay enforcement and are taking action to address each of them.
"At the Labor Department, we are increasing our enforcement against employers who discriminate, leveling the playing field for those who do not, strengthening our regulatory authorities and creating opportunities for workplace flexibility so that women can make reasonable choices to care for their families without being penalized. The department's Women's Bureau is developing educational materials, including information to help employers identify potential wage discrimination and resources to assist employers in complying with the law. Our Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs will issue new guidance to collect better data on how workers are paid as part of our efforts to root out discrimination among federal contractors.
"Equal pay is not just a women's issue. It's not just a family issue. It's a recovery issue. I am committed to finding commonsense solutions to closing the pay gap once and for all so that our nation will be a more fair and equitable place for everyone.”
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/wb/wb20110531.htm
Monday, April 4, 2011
Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Cesar Chavez Day
U.S. Department of Labor News Release OPA News Release: [03/31/2011] Contact Name: Enrique Chaurand Phone Number: (202) 693-4679 Release Number: 11-0464-NAT Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Cesar Chavez Day WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement commemorating the legacy of Cesar Chavez: "Today, which would have been the 84th birthday of Cesar E. Chavez, is observed as Cesar Chavez Day. His legacy is important for every American to remember. Cesar was a civil rights leader whose efforts shed light not only on the injustice and struggles of farmworkers, but on our land and our environment, too. "A former farmworker himself, Cesar fought for fair treatment, fair wages and better working conditions for the countless men, women and children who labor in the fields every day. "Cesar was a man who — with quiet leadership but a powerful voice — inspired a movement and changed the course of America for generations to come. Through his courage, he taught us that a single voice could change our country, making us stronger and more just. "His life's work is a reminder to me, as the secretary of labor, that the work we do at the Labor Department is about workers and their families, their well-being and their advancement." Read this news release en Español. http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA20110464.htm
Monday, September 13, 2010
US Labor Secretary comments on data on labor force participation for persons with disabilities
News Release
ODEP News Release: [08/25/2010]
Contact Name: Bennett Gamble
Phone Number: (202) 693-4667 or x5051
Release Number: 10-1204-NAT
US Labor Secretary comments on data on labor force participation for persons with disabilities: ‘We will make sure that people who want to work can work’
WASHINGTON — Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released, for the first time, a detailed comprehensive overview on the employment of Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics, 2009. Armed with this new data, researchers, disability advocates, and policy makers can better project labor force participation for working-aged persons with disabilities.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis stated, "I am pleased that the data released today will help better tailor policies and workforce development strategies, leveraging the talents and skills of this important segment of our population. According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, just one in five people with disabilities were in the labor force and the unemployment rate for those with disabilities remains much higher than the national average. We will use this new information to help increase service capacity and accessibility to workforce development systems including the one-stop-career centers and ensure that people with disabilities have access to employment support, transportation, housing, and other support services. We will make sure that people who want to work can work."
In 2009, the employment-population ratio — the proportion of the population that is employed — was 19.2 percent for persons with a disability. Among those with no disability, the ratio was much higher (64.5 percent). For all age groups, persons with a disability were much less likely to be employed than those with no disability. The latest unemployment rate of persons with a disability is 14.5 percent. These statistics were obtained from the Current Population Survey, a monthly survey that provides statistics on employment and unemployment in the United States.
To read the BLS report issued today and the current CPS go to http://www.bls.gov.
ODEP News Release: [08/25/2010]
Contact Name: Bennett Gamble
Phone Number: (202) 693-4667 or x5051
Release Number: 10-1204-NAT
US Labor Secretary comments on data on labor force participation for persons with disabilities: ‘We will make sure that people who want to work can work’
WASHINGTON — Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released, for the first time, a detailed comprehensive overview on the employment of Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics, 2009. Armed with this new data, researchers, disability advocates, and policy makers can better project labor force participation for working-aged persons with disabilities.
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis stated, "I am pleased that the data released today will help better tailor policies and workforce development strategies, leveraging the talents and skills of this important segment of our population. According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, just one in five people with disabilities were in the labor force and the unemployment rate for those with disabilities remains much higher than the national average. We will use this new information to help increase service capacity and accessibility to workforce development systems including the one-stop-career centers and ensure that people with disabilities have access to employment support, transportation, housing, and other support services. We will make sure that people who want to work can work."
In 2009, the employment-population ratio — the proportion of the population that is employed — was 19.2 percent for persons with a disability. Among those with no disability, the ratio was much higher (64.5 percent). For all age groups, persons with a disability were much less likely to be employed than those with no disability. The latest unemployment rate of persons with a disability is 14.5 percent. These statistics were obtained from the Current Population Survey, a monthly survey that provides statistics on employment and unemployment in the United States.
To read the BLS report issued today and the current CPS go to http://www.bls.gov.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Equal pay is the law. Can the DOL make It reality?
Lexology.com
Strasburger & Price LLP
Jerae Carlson USA July 27 2010
Last week, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced initiatives to be undertaken by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to strategically enforce pay discrimination laws, as well as to increase workplace flexibility to improve work/life balance. The fact that pay disparity between men and women still exists appears to be no secret. Secretary Solis acknowledged as much, stating "More money in a woman's paycheck means a working family not having to choose between paying the mortgage, buying groceries, or buying necessary school supplies." http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/wb/wb20101013.htm. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has determined that “[i]n 2009, women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median weekly earnings of $657, or about 80 percent of the $819 median for their male counterparts.” See Highlights of Women’s Earnings in 2009, Report 1025 (June 2010), http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpswom2009.pdf. This report cautions, however, that it does not account for many factors which might explain such disparity.
Nonetheless, the DOL is sufficiently concerned with the gender pay gap. Under the enforcement initiative, approximately 200 more enforcement employees will be hired, the OFCCP will publish an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to get input on how to improve the Equal Opportunity survey, and the DOL’s Women's Bureau will provide public education materials, including an Equal Pay Checklist and an improved Equal Pay Employer Self-Audit.
Full Story: http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=32884b9b-18e9-4c9a-b736-0655905a0169&utm_source=Lexology%20Daily%20Newsfeed&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Lexology%20subscriber%20daily%20feed&utm_content=Lexology%20Daily%20Newsfeed%202010-08-04&utm_term=
Strasburger & Price LLP
Jerae Carlson USA July 27 2010
Last week, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced initiatives to be undertaken by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to strategically enforce pay discrimination laws, as well as to increase workplace flexibility to improve work/life balance. The fact that pay disparity between men and women still exists appears to be no secret. Secretary Solis acknowledged as much, stating "More money in a woman's paycheck means a working family not having to choose between paying the mortgage, buying groceries, or buying necessary school supplies." http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/wb/wb20101013.htm. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has determined that “[i]n 2009, women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median weekly earnings of $657, or about 80 percent of the $819 median for their male counterparts.” See Highlights of Women’s Earnings in 2009, Report 1025 (June 2010), http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpswom2009.pdf. This report cautions, however, that it does not account for many factors which might explain such disparity.
Nonetheless, the DOL is sufficiently concerned with the gender pay gap. Under the enforcement initiative, approximately 200 more enforcement employees will be hired, the OFCCP will publish an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to get input on how to improve the Equal Opportunity survey, and the DOL’s Women's Bureau will provide public education materials, including an Equal Pay Checklist and an improved Equal Pay Employer Self-Audit.
Full Story: http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=32884b9b-18e9-4c9a-b736-0655905a0169&utm_source=Lexology%20Daily%20Newsfeed&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Lexology%20subscriber%20daily%20feed&utm_content=Lexology%20Daily%20Newsfeed%202010-08-04&utm_term=
Monday, April 26, 2010
Statement by US Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on death of Willard Wirtz
U.S. Department of Labor
Press Release 4/25/2010
Statement by US Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on death of Willard Wirtz
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the death of W. Willard Wirtz:
"Willard Wirtz liked to call me '25.' So I would call him '10.' The number suited him perfectly.
"There is a great story about the nation's 10th U.S. secretary of labor that has been passed down from labor secretary to labor secretary: During the Johnson Administration, Secretary Wirtz often visited school children around the country to talk about jobs and work. After one of his presentations, a young girl came up to him and said, 'I'm the labor secretary of the 4th grade.' 'That's wonderful,' Willard replied. 'What does the labor secretary of the 4th grade do?' 'Well,' she said, 'I clap the erasers, and wash the blackboard, and make sure we always have enough paper and crayons. And at the end of the week, I put all the mess away.' And then the girl asked, 'What do you do?' Willard replied, 'Pretty much the same thing.'
"I asked him about that story last year, when I hosted a reception for him to celebrate his autobiography, which had been recently published. We held the event in the department's labor law library, named after him and his wife, Jane. He thought back for just a few seconds, started to laugh, and admitted that the story was true. Then he whispered to me, 'I hope the job has gotten better.' At the reception, we gathered about two dozen employees who started their careers with him and were still working at the department. He was surprised to see so many still around but was even more excited about the number of young employees — economists, analysts, grants managers, attorneys, investigators — who turned out to hear him speak. 'To be a public servant . . . to be a Labor Department employee . . . it's still a marvelous way to make a living,' he remarked with great satisfaction in his voice.
"Willard Wirtz was the consummate negotiator and played a significant role in preventing and ending major labor strikes during the 1960s. He was a vocal advocate for collective bargaining. As President Johnson's 'general' in the War on Poverty, he initiated an array of programs to help at-risk youth, older workers and the hardcore unemployed. Long before the challenges and promise of workers with disabilities entered the public consciousness, both he and Jane were champions and advocates on their behalf.
"On both a personal and professional level, I owe him a debt of gratitude. One of his most important tasks during his tenure was implementing Labor Department antidiscrimination regulatory responsibilities under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As a result of his work, almost exactly 40 years after he left office, a Latina and daughter of immigrants became the 25th U.S. secretary of labor. I extend my sincerest condolences to his family, especially his sons, Phillip and Richard, and his grandchildren.
"When we last spoke, he told me that we had the best job in a president's cabinet. He said that the health, safety, well-being and dignity of working people should always come first in my mind, that every problem had a solution and that there was no greater calling than working for workers. And then he said, 'Have a little fun, too.' I promised him that I would try."
NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: Photos of Secretary Wirtz's last public appearance — at the U.S. Department of Labor on April 2, 2009 — are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rememberingsecwirtz/
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the death of W. Willard Wirtz:
"Willard Wirtz liked to call me '25.' So I would call him '10.' The number suited him perfectly.
"There is a great story about the nation's 10th U.S. secretary of labor that has been passed down from labor secretary to labor secretary: During the Johnson Administration, Secretary Wirtz often visited school children around the country to talk about jobs and work. After one of his presentations, a young girl came up to him and said, 'I'm the labor secretary of the 4th grade.' 'That's wonderful,' Willard replied. 'What does the labor secretary of the 4th grade do?' 'Well,' she said, 'I clap the erasers, and wash the blackboard, and make sure we always have enough paper and crayons. And at the end of the week, I put all the mess away.' And then the girl asked, 'What do you do?' Willard replied, 'Pretty much the same thing.'
"I asked him about that story last year, when I hosted a reception for him to celebrate his autobiography, which had been recently published. We held the event in the department's labor law library, named after him and his wife, Jane. He thought back for just a few seconds, started to laugh, and admitted that the story was true. Then he whispered to me, 'I hope the job has gotten better.' At the reception, we gathered about two dozen employees who started their careers with him and were still working at the department. He was surprised to see so many still around but was even more excited about the number of young employees — economists, analysts, grants managers, attorneys, investigators — who turned out to hear him speak. 'To be a public servant . . . to be a Labor Department employee . . . it's still a marvelous way to make a living,' he remarked with great satisfaction in his voice.
"Willard Wirtz was the consummate negotiator and played a significant role in preventing and ending major labor strikes during the 1960s. He was a vocal advocate for collective bargaining. As President Johnson's 'general' in the War on Poverty, he initiated an array of programs to help at-risk youth, older workers and the hardcore unemployed. Long before the challenges and promise of workers with disabilities entered the public consciousness, both he and Jane were champions and advocates on their behalf.
"On both a personal and professional level, I owe him a debt of gratitude. One of his most important tasks during his tenure was implementing Labor Department antidiscrimination regulatory responsibilities under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As a result of his work, almost exactly 40 years after he left office, a Latina and daughter of immigrants became the 25th U.S. secretary of labor. I extend my sincerest condolences to his family, especially his sons, Phillip and Richard, and his grandchildren.
"When we last spoke, he told me that we had the best job in a president's cabinet. He said that the health, safety, well-being and dignity of working people should always come first in my mind, that every problem had a solution and that there was no greater calling than working for workers. And then he said, 'Have a little fun, too.' I promised him that I would try."
NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: Photos of Secretary Wirtz's last public appearance — at the U.S. Department of Labor on April 2, 2009 — are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rememberingsecwirtz/
Monday, December 7, 2009
Secretary of Labor Outlines Regulatory Priorities
Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced her regulatory priorities in the Federal Register on December 7, 2009. Stated simply, her goals are "good jobs for everyone." To implement her vision, Secretary Solis listed several overarching priorities:http://www.dol.gov/asp/regs/unifiedagenda/fall_2009_Regulatory_Plan.pdf
Increasing workers’ incomes and narrowing wage and income inequality. • Securing safe and healthy workplaces, wages and overtime, particularly in high-risk industries. • Assuring skills and knowledge that prepare workers to succeed in a knowledge-based economy, including in high-growth and emerging industry sectors like “green” jobs. • Breaking down barriers to fair and diverse work places so that every worker’s contribution is respected. • Improving health benefits and retirement security for all workers. • Providing work place flexibility for family and personal care-giving. • Facilitating return to work for workers experiencing work place injuries or illnesses who are able to work and sufficient income and medical care for those who are unable to work. • Income support when work is impossible or unavailable. • Helping workers who are in low-wage jobs or out of the labor market find a path into middle class jobs. • Ensuring workers have a voice in the work place. • Assuring that global markets are governed by fair market rules that protect vulnerable people, including women and children, and provide workers a fair share of their productivity and voice in their work lives. • Helping middle-class families remain in the middle class.
The regulatory goals highlighted in red appear most relevant to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action professionals.
Openness and transparency seem to be two major sub themes for the department's regulatory agenda.
Increasing workers’ incomes and narrowing wage and income inequality. • Securing safe and healthy workplaces, wages and overtime, particularly in high-risk industries. • Assuring skills and knowledge that prepare workers to succeed in a knowledge-based economy, including in high-growth and emerging industry sectors like “green” jobs. • Breaking down barriers to fair and diverse work places so that every worker’s contribution is respected. • Improving health benefits and retirement security for all workers. • Providing work place flexibility for family and personal care-giving. • Facilitating return to work for workers experiencing work place injuries or illnesses who are able to work and sufficient income and medical care for those who are unable to work. • Income support when work is impossible or unavailable. • Helping workers who are in low-wage jobs or out of the labor market find a path into middle class jobs. • Ensuring workers have a voice in the work place. • Assuring that global markets are governed by fair market rules that protect vulnerable people, including women and children, and provide workers a fair share of their productivity and voice in their work lives. • Helping middle-class families remain in the middle class.
The regulatory goals highlighted in red appear most relevant to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action professionals.
Openness and transparency seem to be two major sub themes for the department's regulatory agenda.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Solis Beefs Up Worker Protection Enforcement Staffs
Workforce Management
September 3, 2009
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis reiterated that keeping workers safe on the job and ensuring that they receive all the pay that’s due to them are priorities, as she approaches her first Labor Day as head of the agency.
In a brief conference call with reporters Thursday, September 3, Solis said that by 2010, the department will have 1,275 new inspectors at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and 980 investigators in the Wage and Hour Division. That's an increase of more than 400 enforcement staff.
The enforcement emphasis is designed to give the department a new orientation after what the Obama administration portrays as eight years of lax oversight during President George W. Bush’s tenure.
The Obama budget request to Congress asks for $1.7 billion for worker protection programs, a 10 percent increase over the previous fiscal year. In the first six months of the year, the department has recovered more than $82 million in back wages for 107,000 minimum-wage workers.
Earlier in the week, Deputy Labor Secretary Seth Harris summed up the agency’s mission for a Washington audience.
“The department of good jobs for everyone,” he said.
Full Story: http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/26/65/30.php?src=wfw090908a
September 3, 2009
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis reiterated that keeping workers safe on the job and ensuring that they receive all the pay that’s due to them are priorities, as she approaches her first Labor Day as head of the agency.
In a brief conference call with reporters Thursday, September 3, Solis said that by 2010, the department will have 1,275 new inspectors at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and 980 investigators in the Wage and Hour Division. That's an increase of more than 400 enforcement staff.
The enforcement emphasis is designed to give the department a new orientation after what the Obama administration portrays as eight years of lax oversight during President George W. Bush’s tenure.
The Obama budget request to Congress asks for $1.7 billion for worker protection programs, a 10 percent increase over the previous fiscal year. In the first six months of the year, the department has recovered more than $82 million in back wages for 107,000 minimum-wage workers.
Earlier in the week, Deputy Labor Secretary Seth Harris summed up the agency’s mission for a Washington audience.
“The department of good jobs for everyone,” he said.
Full Story: http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/26/65/30.php?src=wfw090908a
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor
OPA News Release: [08/12/2009]
Contact Name: Sonia Melendez Phone Number: (202) 693-6075
Release Number: 09-0974-NAT
Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States:
"Now that Justice Sonia Sotomayor has been confirmed, I want to congratulate her for this achievement and for her grace under fire as she had her judicial record closely scrutinized over the past 10 weeks. She handled herself with poise, but with her keen intellect and impeccable record, she won over the hearts and minds of members of Congress.
"Judge Sotomayor's story serves as an inspiration to us all. She is the daughter of working-class Puerto Rican parents who grew up in public housing in the Bronx. Driven by her mother's belief in the power of education and her unrelenting work ethic, she excelled in school and won a scholarship to Princeton University and later attended Yale Law. Today she is one of the most qualified and experienced Justices sitting on the Supreme Court. Her story demonstrates that anything is possible in this country and that the American Dream is alive and well.
"I also want to applaud President Obama for choosing Judge Sotomayor. His choice demonstrates his commitment to bring greater diversity of thought, perspective and experience to the nation's legal system. It's a pleasure and an honor to serve for him." http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/opa20090974.htm
Contact Name: Sonia Melendez Phone Number: (202) 693-6075
Release Number: 09-0974-NAT
Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States:
"Now that Justice Sonia Sotomayor has been confirmed, I want to congratulate her for this achievement and for her grace under fire as she had her judicial record closely scrutinized over the past 10 weeks. She handled herself with poise, but with her keen intellect and impeccable record, she won over the hearts and minds of members of Congress.
"Judge Sotomayor's story serves as an inspiration to us all. She is the daughter of working-class Puerto Rican parents who grew up in public housing in the Bronx. Driven by her mother's belief in the power of education and her unrelenting work ethic, she excelled in school and won a scholarship to Princeton University and later attended Yale Law. Today she is one of the most qualified and experienced Justices sitting on the Supreme Court. Her story demonstrates that anything is possible in this country and that the American Dream is alive and well.
"I also want to applaud President Obama for choosing Judge Sotomayor. His choice demonstrates his commitment to bring greater diversity of thought, perspective and experience to the nation's legal system. It's a pleasure and an honor to serve for him." http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/opa20090974.htm
Monday, July 27, 2009
DOL Secretary Solis Issues Statement on 19th Anniversary of the ADA
ODEP News Release: [07/24/2009]
Contact Name: Bennett Gamble or Jennifer Kaplan
Phone Number: (202) 693-4667 or x5052
Release Number: 09-0865-NAT
Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on 19th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA):
"July 26 marks the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation designed to prevent discrimination and enable individuals with disabilities to fully participate in all aspects of society.
"The ADA's provisions include the right to seek, obtain, pursue and maintain employment without being hampered by physical or attitudinal barriers. I believe that having a job is a civil right. Those who are qualified for and want to work should not be denied that right because of an inaccessible building or an outdated set of assumptions about what they can or cannot do.
"In nearly two decades, our nation has come a long way in recognizing the talents and contributions of more than 50 million Americans with disabilities. Unfortunately, the employment rate for people with disabilities in this country is still unacceptably low. Only 22.6 percent of individuals with disabilities are participating in the labor force, compared to 71.9 percent of people with no disability. And although the federal government strives to be a model employer, in actuality the number of people with disabilities in the federal workforce has decreased over the past decade. This trend must be reversed, and the Department of Labor will be a leader in the effort.
"I am pleased to welcome the Honorable Kathy Martinez as the Labor Department's new assistant secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy. Kathy's years of leadership as an internationally recognized advocate for people with disabilities, as well as her expertise in diversity and gender issues, make her a perfect fit. Her extensive background includes serving as executive director for the World Institute on Disability and as a board member of the U.S. Institute of Peace.
"The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy has an abundance of resources to assist employers, workers and others. Information is available on the department's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/odep/."
Contact Name: Bennett Gamble or Jennifer Kaplan
Phone Number: (202) 693-4667 or x5052
Release Number: 09-0865-NAT
Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on 19th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA):
"July 26 marks the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation designed to prevent discrimination and enable individuals with disabilities to fully participate in all aspects of society.
"The ADA's provisions include the right to seek, obtain, pursue and maintain employment without being hampered by physical or attitudinal barriers. I believe that having a job is a civil right. Those who are qualified for and want to work should not be denied that right because of an inaccessible building or an outdated set of assumptions about what they can or cannot do.
"In nearly two decades, our nation has come a long way in recognizing the talents and contributions of more than 50 million Americans with disabilities. Unfortunately, the employment rate for people with disabilities in this country is still unacceptably low. Only 22.6 percent of individuals with disabilities are participating in the labor force, compared to 71.9 percent of people with no disability. And although the federal government strives to be a model employer, in actuality the number of people with disabilities in the federal workforce has decreased over the past decade. This trend must be reversed, and the Department of Labor will be a leader in the effort.
"I am pleased to welcome the Honorable Kathy Martinez as the Labor Department's new assistant secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy. Kathy's years of leadership as an internationally recognized advocate for people with disabilities, as well as her expertise in diversity and gender issues, make her a perfect fit. Her extensive background includes serving as executive director for the World Institute on Disability and as a board member of the U.S. Institute of Peace.
"The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy has an abundance of resources to assist employers, workers and others. Information is available on the department's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/odep/."
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