A Seattle coworking company hopes the coronavirus pandemic spurs the government to address workforce issues related to women, including child care and paid parental leave.
The pandemic has hurt job sectors that tend to employ more women. For the week of May 3-9, the industries with most unemployment claims were health care (13,340 initial claims), educational services (10,165 initial claims) and retail (8,965 initial claims), according to the Washington Employment Security Department.
Amy Nelson, CEO of The Riveter, a Seattle-based working women’s union, says the workforce has to change for women when we come out of this pandemic.
Pay equity has always been an issue, but now there are even more glaring challenges with how the workforce helps families with child care and family leave. She says the workforces haven't adapted to a world where there are two working parents or single moms.
“The government – if they want to fuel the economy in amazing ways and ways that we should – should really step in and try to change that dynamic by bringing in things like child care as infrastructure, paid sick leave, paid parental leave after babies arrive,” Nelson said. “I mean, it's shocking that we still don't have those things.”
The Riveter also launched a digital platform to connect women. Participants can get advice, learn about events happening in the area, learn new skills, take courses or find job openings.