November 18, 2022

COVID-19 Exposes Our Reliance on Women and Undervaluation of Care Work

COVID-19 has exposed many of our society’s underlying problems. And with these concerns, a particular demographic has been disproportionately affected -- women. Working moms have been especially impacted by school closures and remote work mandates, as they attempt to manage working from home with the closure of child care facilities.

In the present circumstances, we realize how undervalued unpaid care work had been. Unpaid care work directly assists our society, as it supports the workforce and saves public child care costs. While the value of unpaid care is substantial - valued at $10.8 trillion worldwide-  it is not accounted for in economic measures such as the GDP. 

The significance of unpaid care work is much more salient with the coronavirus pandemic. Paid employment can only be fully managed when unpaid work such as child care is taken care of. Thus, unpaid care work is beyond inherently valuable, it is a productive asset to the economy.

According to a study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, women in the United States spend 37 percent more time on unpaid care work than men. On average, women spend 5.7 hours per day on unpaid household work, compared with 3.6 hours for men.

As we begin to think ahead and consider reopening businesses, we must not forget the engines that drive our economy. They are not just the employees in the traditional workplace, but also the caregivers that enable them to work.

Public policy measures for women and children should be implemented with an understanding that they go beyond gender equality. Child care policies are not just for women; they allow for the workforce as a whole to be productive. This sheer fact should be considered as we prepare to return to work and “re-open” society.

Berke-Weiss Law Attorneys Speak at Endometriosis Foundation Conference

March 27, 2023
Disability Discrimination
FMLA
Berke-Weiss Law in the News
Berke-Weiss Law attorneys, Laurie Berke-Weiss, Alex Berke, and Rosa Aliberti, spoke at the EndoFound Global Patient Symposium, commonly referred to as Patient Day, about the legal rights and protections for those with endometriosis.

AI and Compliance, Employers Brace for a Brave New World

March 16, 2023
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Over the last decade, more and more companies have utilized automated tools to aid in hiring, training, retaining. Historically, when practices and technologies are adopted rapidly, the law takes time to catch up and this is no different, with 2023 looking to be a year where companies are going to come under more detailed regulatory and compliance regimes focused on AI.

Elon Musk’s Public Mocking of Employee’s Disability Highlights the Importance of Reasonable Accommodations and Health Information Privacy

March 16, 2023
Disability Discrimination
Elon Musk mocked a Twitter employee for his disability and lack of clarity regarding job status, highlighting issues disabled workers face in the workplace.

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