EOI Updates Washington’s women are more protected this equal pay day March 12, 2024 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana Last week, the 2024 legislative session came to a close – but not before lawmakers passed a bill that provides new protections against wage discrimination. The timing of the bill couldn’t be better; Women’s Equal Pay Day falls on March 12 and begins a year-long recognition of the persistent pay gaps that women experience every […] Read more »
EOI Updates Seattle recognizes child care workers for pandemic work July 29, 2021 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana In July 2021, the City of Seattle took an important step to recognize the importance of child care workers, approving appreciation payments for those who served on the front lines at the height of the pandemic. When COVID-19 hit last spring, Governor Inslee declared child care workers essential. But with so many businesses forced to […] Read more »
EOI Updates Let’s celebrate 27 years of unpaid leave February 5, 2020 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana I started working on paid leave issues in 2011, nearly seven months before my first child was born. Until then, I had never thought about how essential a paid family and medical leave program could be. It had not occurred to me that I may suffer from medical complications, or, God forbid, that my baby […] Read more »
EOI Updates Unwrapping paid leave for 2020 December 21, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana When my father was in his last months of his life, I waited until the very last few week to ask my employer for time off to spend time with him and assist my mother with the endless decisions and tasks. Not to mention letting her have some needed rest. I waited to the very […] Read more »
EOI Updates Families are complicated and paid leave can help November 27, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana On Thanksgiving, I will deep fry a turkey, make gluten-free rolls, and ensure a glass of my favorite wine is always in hand when greeting my immediate and distant family members. There is a lot of us in the “gang gang” — including my mother, two siblings (one is a half sibling), my husband’s mother […] Read more »
EOI Updates Washington veterans are getting new benefits November 8, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana In honor of Veterans Day, let’s look at how Washington’s paid family and medical leave program will help veterans and their families in 2020, such as people like Army Sergeant Elena Garcia and her husband Sam. Elena and Sam Garcia In 2020, Elena Garcia is finally promoted to Army Sergeant. She has worked hard to […] Read more »
EOI Updates New babies mean new benefits in 2020 October 18, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana The arrival of fall is one more signal that we are close to seeing Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program become reality—in about two and half months! Anticipation from those expecting the arrival of a new child in their home must be high. With paid leave, parents can take time off work to be […] Read more »
EOI Updates “Equal pay day” masks difficulties Black and brown women face August 22, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana Dear black women, Congratulations! Today is your Equal Pay Day. Equal Pay Day represents how far into the year groups need to work to earn what white, non-Hispanic men earned the previous year. In 2019, White women celebrated Equal Pay Day in April. Asian women celebrated it in March. Native women will celebrate it in […] Read more »
EOI Updates I’m going to tip minority servers more – and whites less October 16, 2018 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana I’ve been considering changing the way I tip my servers when dining out— to level the playing field for people of color. I want to tip people of color more generously. Why, you ask? How much people tip, and to whom, can be subtly affected by biases as much as anything else. This means that, […] Read more »
EOI Updates Latina equal pay day: Not a day to celebrate November 1, 2016 / October 26, 2026 by Gabriela Quintana 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 […] Read more »
