U.S. Department of La

Women's Bureau

Fiscal Year 2007 Outlook

Better Jobs! Better Earnings! Better L

Ap
Strengthening the Family

 The Women's Bureau was created by Congressional mandate i

1920. It is the only federal agency charged to advocate on behawomen in the workforce. 

 The Bureau’s mission is to improve the status of wage-earning 

women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficienand advance their opportunities for profitable employment.

 It promotes 21st Century solutions to improve the status of work

women and their families. 

 The Bureau designs and implements demonstration projects tha

employ “high tech” (Web sites, virtual conferences, and ementoring) and “high touch” (counseling and classroom instruction) elements.

 All Women’s Bureau projects follow a strategic plan, achieve 

measurable results, and can be replicated by other organization

Better Jobs! Better Earnings! Better Liv
Strategic Goals, FY 2006 - 2011

Better Living!

Increase number of flexible 

work programs and policies

“A Competitive 

Workforce”

Meet the competitive labor 

demands of the worldwide 

economy

Better Earnings!

Increase women’s financial 

security

“Strengthened 

Economic Protections”

Protect and strengthen 

worker economic security 

Better Jobs!

Increase women’s 

employment opportunities

“A Prepared 

Workforce”

Develop a prepared 

workforce by providing 

effective training and 

support services to workers

USDOL Strategic Goals WB Goals FY 20
Women’s Employment in the U.S.

 In 2006, 70 million women – 59% of the 118 million 

women 16 years of age and older – participated in the U.S. labor force.

 Women comprised 46% of the total U.S. labor force an

are projected to account for 51% of the increase in the labor force from 2004-2014.

 Women were concentrated in management, profession

and related occupations (38%); sales and office occupations (34%); and service occupations (20%).

 75% of employed women worked full-time, while 25% 

worked part-time. 

 There were nearly 6.5 million women-owned businesse

2002, up 20% from 1997. The increase was twice the national average for all businesses.

Better Jobs! Better Earnings! Better Li
Women’s Employment Opportuniti Women’s Bureau demonstration projects 

are designed to help women enter higher-paying occupations such as those in the managerial, professional, and technical areas.

Better Jobs!

 While the median weekly earn

women employed full-time we2006, women working in manprofessional, and related occuearned $840; healthcare practechnical occupations, $860; computer and mathematical o$1,043.
Working Women in Transition

 Project Goal: To connect women who 

are making a transition in their work lives with mentors, resources, and learning opportunities to enable them to 

 receive an increase in 

wages/salary or a promotion 

 find employment or start a 

business

 enter into post-secondary or 

graduate degree education or a certification or licensing program

 Women’s Bureau and local service 

providers provide access to face-to-face and online mentors (e-mentoring), online employment tools, and skills training.

 Participants also receive childcare and 

transportation assistance, counseling, and work clothing.

Better Jobs!

University of Kentucky maFY 2006 Project O• 777 women regist• 198 achieved thegoals• 83 entered careea degree program• 167 increased the• 203 found employ• 109 mentors• 64 value-added s

www.workingwomenin
Working Women in Transition

Better Jobs!

 Upon registration, WWIT p

identify their short-term and lcareer goals.

 Participants may remain e

WWIT for two years.

FY 2007 Performance Goals

• 793 women register• 396 women receive training• 41% of participants increase their earnings • 46% of participants find employment • 20% of participants enter into post-secondary or graduate degree education or a certification or licensing program

Participating Regions

I (MA), III (PA), IV (GA), 

V (IL), VI (TX), VIII (CO)
Lower Brule Southeast TeYoung WomeAssociation o

Native American and rural women

Sioux Falls, SD (Region VIII)New Orleans, LA (Region VI) Women impacted by hurricanes Odyssey HouHouston, TX (Region VI) Women impacted by hurricanes Women HelpLittle Rock, AK (Region VI) Women receiving TANF Hope Center

Women’s BuDevelopmenAmerican All

Asian American women starting a business

Chicago, IL (Region V)

Jewish FamiColumbus 

Columbus, OH (Region V) Baby Boomer womenAtlanta, GA (Region IV) Women impacted by hurricanes YWCA of Gre

Women in substance abuse Chrysalis Hotreatment

Lexington, KY (Region IV)Beaver & Allegheny Counties, Single mothers PA Women WPA (Region III)Essex Junction, VT (Region I) Pre-release incarcerated women Vermont Wo

Working Women in Population Served Co

Transition 

Project Site
 In March 2005, just 47% of wage and salaried women 

participated in a retirement plan.

 Women are more likely than men to work in part-time jobs that 

don’t qualify for a retirement plan.

 Women are also more likely than men to interrupt their careers 

to take care of family members. Therefore they work fewer years and contribute less toward their retirement.

 On average, women retiring at age 65 can expect to live 

another 20 years, compared to 17 years for men. Women who live longer in retirement have a greater chance of exhausting 

their sources of income.

 In 2004, the average annual Social Security income received by women 65 and over was $9,408, compared to $12,381 for 

men.

 In general, women invest more conservatively than men and 

receive lower rates of return from their investments over time.

`

Better Earnings!

Women’s Financial Security
Wi$e Up

 Project Goal: To provide financial education to 

Generations X and Y women so they will reduce their debt and increase their savings and/or investments

 An online and classroom-based curriculum 

covers saving, credit, debt, insurance, investing, and retirement planning.

 Over 100 financial experts answer questions via 

e-mail. The “Ask the Experts” archive is available online.

 Speakers provide financial guidance on Wi$e 

Up Teleconference Calls. Transcripts and audio recordings are available online.

 State Farm Insurance Companies, the American 

Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Financial Planning Association collaborate with the Women’s Bureau to implement Wi$e Up.

 Organizations offering Wi$e Up classes include 

government agencies, employers, universities, a shelter for victims of domestic violence, and a residence for single mothers.

Texas Cooperative ExtensUniversity System manage

FY 2004–2006 Proj

• 2,306 registered pa• 28 Wi$e Up Teleco• 1,000,000 hits to W• 13,930 downloads transcripts and audio Web site• Independent projeccompleted in FY 2006 Better Earnings! 
Wi$e Up

Wi$e Up Replication Projects

• The University of Maryland, Eastern Shore is offering students one unit of credit for completing the Wi$e Up curriculum.• The WA Correctional Center for Women in Purdy has been using Wi$e Up for incarcerated women since late 2005. • Employees of Alcatel Corporation receive CEU credit from the National Management Association for completing Wi$e Up.• The women$finances Program at the YWCA in Anchorage, AK has been using the Wi$e Up curriculum in its classrooms since late 2005.• The Native Americans for Community Action, Inc. (NACA) Workforce Investment Act Program and the Coconino County Career Center conducted a Wi$e Up class for Native American women in Flagstaff, AZ.

Better Earnings!

FY 2007 Performance 

• Enroll 1,058 participants• 41% of participants pledg

their debt

• 44% of participants pledg

their savings and/or inve

Participating Regi

I (MA), II (NY), III (PA)

VI (TX), VII (MO), VIII (C

Wi$e Up project graduate with p
FY 2007 Projects

Region III – Financial Literacy for Korean American 

Women; Washington, DC

Region V – Smart Women, Smart Money; Chicago, IL

Region VII – Financial Fitness Boot Camp; Kansas City, KRegion IX – Financial Literacy for Native Women; Native 

Public Radio, AZ 

Region X – Financial Literacy for Korean, Immigrant, & 

Refugee Women; Lakewood, WAFinancial Literacy for Rural Women; Boise, ID

 Project Goal: To increase women’s financial literacy 

and retirement security

 The Women’s Bureau hosts workshops or provides 

other financial education resources to targeted communities.

 In FY 2005, 10 conferences served 1,030 women, 

including low-income women, Asian Americans, American Indians, business owners, and single mothers.

Other Financial Security Projects

Better Earnings!
Balancing Work and Family 

 Both husband and wife worked 

married-couple families in 200spouses worked in 68% of mafamilies with children under 18

 27.5% of full-time workers had 

schedules in May 2004, down May 2001. Men were somewhto have flexible schedules than (28.1% of men and 26.7% of w

 3.8 million women and 3.8 mil

multiple jobs in 2006.

Better Living!

63% of women with children under 6 were in the labor force in 2005, as were 77% of women with children 6 to 17.

All of us have something in common, regardless of which position we h

any survey of working women, one of the most sought-after benefits is time to care for a child, or a loved one, or other important family matter

Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

“Women On the World Symposium,” February 7, 2007 
Flex-Options

 Project Goal: To encourage 

business owners to develop workplace flexibility policies and procedures, such as telecommuting, job sharing, and compressed workweek schedules 

 Corporate executives and workplace 

flexibility experts establish one-onone mentoring relationships with business owners to teach them how to develop flexible work policies.

 Best practices are shared online and 

via teleconference calls featuring experienced professionals and leaders in the flexible workplace field.

Better Living!

www.we-inc.o

FY 2004–2006 Proj• 209 employers cr

expanded 402 flexibpolicies or programs

• 17 virtual confere

career flexibility top

• Over 372,000 em

access to new flexibpolicies or programs

Women Entrepreneurs, In
Flex-Options Conference 

Celebrating Flexible Workplaces: 

The Latest Research, 

Trends and Innovations

Phoenix, AZ

February 20, 2007

FY 2007 Perform

• 137 employers c

a flexible work p

• 292 new or expa

and programs

• Over 1,770 emp

access to new fleprograms

Participating 

Flex-Options

Better Living!

I (MA), II (NY), III (

(IL), VI (TX), VII (

IX (CA), X 
Outreach: Leadership Forums

• From 2004 to 2006, the Women’s Bureau held leadership forums in all 50 s

of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The Bureau also held a National Women’s Summit. 

• The forums brought together women leaders from faith-based organization

commerce, corporate America, local industry, and state and local governmlearned how to replicate Women’s Bureau demonstration projects.

• In 2007, the Bureau is expanding outreach activities (increasing the numbe

participating in leadership forums and conferences) to promote replications
Other Outreach Women’s Bureau Electronic Newsletter – Launched in 20

informs the public about the Bureau’s projects and activities

 Military Spouse Resource Center (www.milspouse.org) 

learning tool and resource guide, the Center helps military saccess training and job placement opportunities, community and their local workforce development systems.

 International Visitors Briefings – Briefings for internationa

and women leaders are coordinated with the Department of the DOL Bureau of International Labor Affairs.

 From FY 2002 - 2006, the Women’s Bureau briefed 

from 111 countries.
Past Projects Better Jobs!

 Employer-Driven Older Women Workers Group E-Mentoring in Nursing (GEM-Nursing) Girls’ E-Mentoring in Science, Engineering, and Techno

SET)

 Ground Zero Initiative: Building a Pipeline of Women fo

Trades in Metropolitan New York (Construction Trades 

 Online Learning for Single Mothers Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupatio

(WANTO) Technical Assistance Grants

 Women with Disabilities Entrepreneurship

 Better Earnings!

 Las Mujeres y el Dinero (Women and Money) Neighborhood Networks

 Better Living!
FY 2002–2004 Pro

• 1,365 participant• 300 mentors repSET fields• 165 supporters himplement GEM-S

Girls’ E-Mentoring in Science, Engineeand Technology (GEM-SET)• Project Goal: To introduce girls ages 13 

to 18 to careers in science, engineering, and technology (SET) and encourage them to pursue SET education• The Women’s Bureau connected girls in middle school and high school with professional women in the SET fields who volunteered as GEM-SET mentors.• High Tech: Girls corresponded with mentors via a listserv. The Q&A digest was archived online.• High Touch: Girls participated in SET events, field trips, and campus visits. • GEM-SET targeted 41 states and the District of Columbia.

www.gem

Better Jobs!

University of Illinois (Chicago
GEM-SET Replication Projects

GEM-SET Mentoring for Succe

University of Illinois at Chi

The project is supported by the UEducation Women’s Educational Program, the Motorola FoundatioBoard of Higher Education.

Math Opens the Door Scholars

In FY 2005, the National Science awarded a grant to Santa Fe ComGainesville, FL to support the MOwhich has an e-mentoring compoafter GEM-SET.

GEM-Guidant in St. Paul, MN 

In FY 2005, WomenVenture partCorporation to create a mentorinjunior and senior high school stuvolunteer mentors in SET fields.

Better Jobs!

A “How to” guide is available to organizations interested in replicating GEM-SET. 
Group E-Mentoring in Nursing (GEM-

• Project Goal: To increase the number of women and men who choose a nursing career• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that registered nurses will create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations through 2014. • Women’s Bureau linked students ages 15 to 21 with mentors in the field of nursing via email, a Web site, and events in FY 2004 –2006. • The GEM-Nursing Web site contained information on the nursing profession, educational programs, and links to financial aid resources.• The University of Michigan School of Nursing, one of the leading institutions in the healthcare field, hosted and maintained the project listserv, Web site, and Daily Digest with questions and answers about nursing.

FY 2004–2006 Proje

• Over 1,600 students pregions I (MA), II (NY), IVII (MO), VIII (CO)• 174 mentors in FY 200• 36 organizations collabGEM-Nursing in FY 200• Independent project evcompleted in FY 2006• Project featured on CaWeb site (www.careervo

Better Jobs!

www.gem-nurs

University of Michigan mana
GEM-Nursing Replication Projects

GEM-Nursing at Streamwood High School 

in Streamwood, IL 

Since the Women’s Bureau GEM-Nursing project ended, health occupations students at Streamwood High School have continued to 

participate in GEM-Nursing. Last year, over 100 students learned about nursing careers from guest speakers in a variety of nursing fields and visits to area hospitals and clinics.

Group E-Mentoring at Thomas Jefferson 

University in Philadelphia, PA 

Thomas Jefferson University began a group ementoring program with their PACE (Plan A College Education) students. (The PACE program allows talented and ambitious high school seniors to reserve a seat in a future class at the university.) The participating students, who are from various areas and schools in PA, communicate via e-mail with registered nurses.

A “How to” guide is avorganizations interestGEM-Nursing programGEM-Nursing students aSchool in Independence

Better Jobs!
Region VI: Dalla

Beverly Lyle, RA

214.767.6985

AR, LA, NM, OK, and 

Region VII: Kansas 

Dorothy Witherspoo

816.285.7233

IA, KS, MO, and N

Region VIII: Denv

Frances Jefferson, 

303.844.1286

CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, a

Region IX: San Fran

Jenny Erwin, RA

415.625.2638

AZ, CA, Guam, HI, an

Region X: Seattl

Betty Lock, RA

206.553.1534

AK, ID, OR, and W

Women’s Bureau s Bureau

Region I: Boston

Jacqueline Cooke, RA

617.565.1988

CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT

Region II: New York

Jacqueline Cooke, RA

212.337.2389

NJ, NY, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands

Region III: Philadelphia

Lucia Bruce, RA

215.861.4860

DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, and WV 

Region IV: Atlanta

Paulette Lewis, RA

404.562.2336

AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN

Region V: Chicago

Nancy Chen, RA

312.353.6985

IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI

National Offi

Shinae Chun, Di

200 Constitution Av

Washington, DC 

202.693.671

www.dol.gov/wb

1.800.827.5335