St. Paul, Minnesota - Speaker Paul Thissen spoke on a panel today at the White House, highlighting Minnesota’s landmark Women’s Economic Security Act during the White House Summit on Working Families. President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama, and economic and business leaders across the nation also are participating in the White House Summit. Thissen was invited to participate due to Minnesota’s leadership on women’s economic security.
“Minnesota is earning recognition across our country as a place where our economy is working better for all and the passage of the Women’s Economic Security Act has given us more momentum,” said Speaker Paul Thissen. “In Minnesota and throughout the United States, we will be more successful if we continue to break down barriers and level the playing field so that women and all Minnesotans have a fair chance at success.”
Speaker Paul Thissen and Minnesota leaders held a Women’s Economic Summit in January to discuss barriers to economic success confronting Minnesota women and to unveil policy proposals that became the Women’s Economic Security Act (WESA). This spring, the Minnesota Legislature passed WESA and Governor Dayton signed it into law. The package includes measures to close the gender pay gap, strengthen workplace protections and flexibility for pregnant mothers and expand employment opportunities for women in high-wage, high-demand professions. For more information on the Women’s Economic Security Act, click here:
http://www.mnwesa.org/
"Minnesota has made great strides in the past 18 months to increase economic opportunity and security for hard working middle-class families. And while Minnesota's success should inspire other states and Congress to act quickly on behalf of working families, we still have more work to do here as well,” said Thissen. “Earned sick leave, more affordable child care and improved retirement security are all priorities that we should move forward in 2015 and beyond.”
For more information on the White House summit, click here:
http://workingfamiliessummit.org/