News & Stories
Policy is personal. So, we want to share more than just data.
Stay up to date with our legislative updates, organizational news, media mentions, and more.
I am a lucky person. My jaw is broken, but that is not why I am lucky. I have good health and dental insurance. So when my jaw was fractured last month, I didn’t have to worry about how I could afford to fix it. Sure, I will pay some significant cost-sharing, but it will […]
I’d like to tell you a story about Evelin – a proud daughter, social worker, and mother of two. A couple of years ago, her family faced a tough decision: Evelin’s father Jose was on the verge of kidney failure and desperately needed surgery. The good news? Jose had good health care. The bad news? […]
Two weeks ago the people of our state voted to raise the minimum wage to $11 an hour in 2017, and eventually $13.50 in 2020. It’s an important step forward — but just one step. And thanks to a judge in Texas, Washington has some more work to do. Strong as it is, our state’s […]
Washington State has made history. On November 8th, people all across the state voted to pass Initiative 1433, which will guarantee access to paid sick days for all workers and increase our state minimum wage to $13.50. The Economic Opportunity Institute helped make paid sick days a winning issue and has been a leading voice for […]
The election last week effectively shut the door on advancing economic opportunity and security for families and workers at the federal level. But that is not the end of the story. The focus for progress now turns from Washington DC to Washington state. We must continue to weave the blanket of economic opportunity which we […]
Our leaders always reference democracy with the founders of our country. That is not true. The founders had a much different vision of power and control, one that did not and still does not comport with democracy. We started our journey as a nation with the Declaration of Independence, in which the founders stated, “We […]
Washington has joined the growing number of states to adopt paid sick and safe leave for all workers with approval of Initiative 1433. Starting in January 2018, everyone working in Washington will be assured at least 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. An estimated one million workers in the state […]
Yep, he tells us the real national embarrassment is not having a racist, sexist, xenophobic candidate as a major party presidential nominee. It’s not our failure to address global warming so our kids might face a ruined planet. No, Robert Samuelson tells us our real national embarrassment is that we have an aging population and, […]
Have you had your ballot on the kitchen counter — for almost two weeks now — and still not opened it up to vote? Or maybe you forgot where you put it? Or maybe you recycled it, and now don’t know where to get your ballot to vote. Or maybe you just want to wait […]
For the past six years of my life I’ve dedicated my professional life to women’s equity issues. I was an instrumental part of a team that helped develop and eventually pass a paid sick days ordinance in Seattle in 2011. Currently, it’s been all about getting a paid family and medical leave bill passed at […]
LONG BEACH, Wash. – Jobs are coming back and incomes are improving across Washington state, but families still are struggling to pay for the basics, according to a new report. The analysis Time for a Raise: Statewide Growth and Washington’s Minimum Wage found many of the jobs in the Evergreen State’s growing economy are low-wage. […]
You got your ballot in the mail. Now what? Vote! Our votes up and down the ballot will help shape our state and nation for decades into the future. Among the many important issues and candidates, Initiative 1433 and the Sound Transit measure allow us to directly boost economic opportunity and vitality in our communities. […]
When your ballot arrives later this week, take a pause and before you vote, consider, what does it mean to be an American? As Americans, we are all in this election together. We are in this country, this economy, this culture, and this government together. What is government? It is the comprehensive delivery of services […]
Dawn Cofone was only 16 years old when she began working with children at Spokane-area childcare facilities. So in the early 90’s, she began attending classes and training sessions to learn more about how to foster the education and development of the children in her care. She worked hard and went to school, often full-time. […]
My friend invited my wife and me to celebrate her husband’s 70th birthday. We enjoyed an evening of great food and wine, stories of the past and hopes for the future. The stories of the past were such powerful American anecdotes that we all thought that my friends should write up their family histories. But […]
With headlights on, seatbelts fastened, and car games ready to go, last Thursday we drove off into the horizon at our annual fundraising event, Road Trip: Equity Ahead! A crowd of over 300 attended in support of the Economic Opportunity Institute’s work to build an economy that works for everyone Washington state. With road maps […]
The campaign for president is getting most of the media attention this year, but we have other important decisions to make as voters this November. Among the initiatives on the ballot is Initiative 1433, also known as RaiseUp Washington. This initiative will put in place minimum standards for paid sick days across the state and […]
If the gender pay gap continues to close at its current rate, women will reach pay equity with men in 2059, according to a new report from the American Association of University Women. Called The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, the report finds full-time working women are slowly closing the disparity, making about […]
Have you claimed your spot for Road Trip: Equity Ahead, happening Thursday, September 22nd? You have seven more days to buy your ticket! Please join us to celebrate our shared successes, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and welcome our keynote speaker, Saru Jayaraman, nationally renowned worker justice advocate. And of course, we’ll have fun policy […]
August 26 commemorated Women’s Equality Day, the date in 1920 when women won the Constitutional right to vote in the United States. This year the date had a little more emotional kick with a woman running for the first time as a serious contender for the Presidency. But it’s taken nearly a full century to […]