June 2023: Making the Workplace Safer For All
Dear Friend,
As we enter the official start of summer, June has been a busy month for Lift Our Voices, as we joined with legislators and advocates to promote policies that will further transform the American workplace.
Protecting Older Americans Act: This month, we were thrilled to join lawmakers to introduce the bipartisan Protecting Older Americans Act (S.1979). This legislation will eliminate forced arbitration clauses for workers who have experienced age discrimination at work, allowing them to take up their claims in open court. We joined the bill’s co-sponsors Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), and the AARP for a press conference on Capitol Hill to advocate for this important new law. Building upon the two federal bills we worked to pass last year to protect survivors of workplace sexual misconduct, the Protecting Older Americans Act will level the playing field for older workers and promote a safer workplace for us all.
A Morning Consult poll commissioned by Lift Our Voices found that 71 percent of all adults oppose forcing older workers into arbitration for age discrimination. This issue has broad support across ages, political ideologies, and geographic regions. You can learn more about the Protecting Older Americans Act and Lift Our Voices’ work on behalf of older workers in our latest op-ed in Bloomberg Law.
June is Pride month: This month has been a joyful celebration of LGBTQ+ voices and culture and a reminder of the progress our nation has made. But it is crucial that we continue the hard work to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community can work in safe environments free from discrimination and toxicity. Did you know:
Nearly three in ten (30%) LGBT employees report experiencing at least one form of employment discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity at some point in their lives. [Williams Institute, 2021]
LGBT employees of color were significantly more likely to report not being hired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity than white LGBT employees: 29% of LGBT employees of color reported not being hired based on their LGBT status compared to 18% of white LGBT employees. [Williams Institute, 2021]
Upcoming events: Exciting news! This September, we will speak at the Texas Tribune Festival. We are excited to join lawmakers, thought-leaders, journalists, and advocates for the event in downtown Austin. Mark your calendar to hear how Lift Our Voices is working to protect survivors and transform the workplace.
Thank you: As we celebrate our progress this month, we know that none of this would be possible without your support. If you would like to join us in creating safe, transparent, productive, and inclusive workplaces click the link below.
Sincerely,
— Gretchen Carlson & Julie Roginsky | Co-founders, Lift Our Voices