Duluth city leaders, community members celebrate signing of Womens Economic Security Act
City councilors, TakeAction Minnesota, County Commissioners and women throughout the community gathered at City Hall to celebrate the signing of the Women’s Economic Security Act into law .
Governor Dayton signed the bill into law on Mother’s Day.
The group celebrated some of the highlights of the bill..including closing the gender pay gap , and allowing women to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave instead of the current six for maternity leave.
Currently women make up more than half of the work force in Minnesota.
Elizabeth Olson with TakeAction Minnesota says working mothers are generally the breadwinners in the family, but still make an average of 76 cents of every dollar a man makes.
Olson says the bill is a victory for the state of Minnesota, but there are still barriers holding women back.
“Women are often primary caregivers. Women in working families fall behind in our economy. but we can do something about this. The women’s economic security act was a huge step forward. We can continue where it left off and further policies that help women and working families succeed,” said Elizabeth Olson with Take Action, Minnesota.
