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America needs to renew focus on women in workplace

As I travel throughout the Capital Region, the top concern I hear from constituents is creating jobs. We cannot get serious about helping the private sector create quality jobs without focusing first on the main drivers of our economy: The American middle class and those struggling to enter it. And we cannot boost the economy while hamstringing more than half of our workforce, which is exactly what we have been doing for decades by not supporting women in the workplace.

Published in the Albany Times Union on Thursday, April 3, 2014

As I travel throughout the Capital Region, the top concern I hear from constituents is creating jobs. We cannot get serious about helping the private sector create quality jobs without focusing first on the main drivers of our economy: The American middle class and those struggling to enter it. And we cannot boost the economy while hamstringing more than half of our workforce, which is exactly what we have been doing for decades by not supporting women in the workplace.

When women succeed, America succeeds: Those five words serve as the foundation for my approach to putting people back to work and boosting economic growth.

First, Congress must act to raise the minimum wage. The purchasing power of the middle class has diminished greatly since the last increase, let alone since its peak. In 1968, the floor for wages was $1.60 an hour, which equates to $10.71 in 2013. Since then, we have seen those who work in full-time, minimum-wage jobs falling behind in their ability to feed, clothe and educate a family. A minimum wage hike might not sound like a women's issue, but when you take into account that the average age of these earners is 35 years old, approximately 60 percent of which are female, the urgency is clear.

Second, Congress must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill would put into place protections against gender discrimination and authorize grants for training programs that address our nation's skills gap.

In the Capital Region, women earn 82 cents for every dollar men earn.

Think of the women you know that live in our communities. Over a lifetime of work, they earn $431,000 less due to the wage gap.

In 2014, not only is that no way to promote economic activity, it's just plain wrong.

Finally, Congress must realize that, when we strengthen families, we increase the productivity of our workers and develop a healthier and better-educated next generation.

The Healthy Families Act would permit employees to earn at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

In this department, we are way behind. It is time to catch up with more than 145 countries around the world — many of which aren't exactly famous for their treatment of women — that provide paid leave to mothers and fathers. In the greatest country in the world, no one should worry about losing their job because their kid gets sick.

Plain and simple, Congress must act to meet the needs of our constituents. We can do that by increasing the minimum wage, ensuring equal pay for equal work and strengthening families.

We can do that by renewing our focus on women in the workplace — a focus that has been criminally absent for decades.

For too long, we have left well over half of our workforce out in the cold. We need to build an economy that works for everyone.

Because when women succeed, America succeeds.

Paul Tonko represents the 20th District in Congress.

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