During the era of COVID-19, women, families and caregivers are approaching a new unknown: balancing work and school during the start of an academic school year.  Recent data shows us:

• 27% of parents nationwide are considering quitting their jobs in response to COVID-19.
• One in three households have a child at home
• Nationally, only 35% of parents in households with children report the ability to telework (only 20% of single parents report being able to telework)
• Women have voiced that they’re twice as likely as their male counterparts to leave their employer this year.
• Taking just one year off impacts women's future earnings: those who took one year off between 2001 and 2015 had annual earnings that were 39% lower than women who had worked all 15 years.

Women disproportionately bear the burden of childcare, eldercare, and homecare. Though we are seeing a shift to remote work, with two-parent households both working from home, we are not seeing an equal distribution of homecare work.  With the shift of schooling to online, hybrid, or in-person with caution, women are still feeling the unequal burden of childcare heightened during the pandemic. As employers and working parents navigate how to ensure parents can provide the support they need for their kids, while also fulfilling their job responsibilities, the Columbus Women’s Commission has brought central Ohio companies together to share ideas, strategies and creative policies. Together, we can support businesses and families during this challenging time.

The Back to School Playbook for employers guides employers on how to accommodate the needs of employees who are also parents. Not all students learn the same way. For some, online education may be an excellent option, offering flexibility and creativity to their work and class schedules. Unfortunately, school closures, online schooling, and the difficulties associated with this academic year may only perpetuate the existing educational disparity among vulnerable communities. These disparities could even potentially accelerate to the point of increased drop-out rates. In this article from McKinsey, it is predicted that the heightened achievement gap may create a further decline of GDP in the national economy. 

The Commission congratulates Dr. Darrick Hamilton, a renowned faculty member at the Ohio State University and head of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, who was named as a new board member for the Institute for Women’s Policy Research!

The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio announced their 2020 Immediate Impact Grant Partners! 19 organizations and initiatives on the frontlines of COVID-19 serving girls and women have received funding for their work. This funding will go directly to people with big, bold ideas who are leaders in their own communities. The Commission extends gratitude to the Women’s Fund and these recipients for doing incredibly important work during this difficult time, centering girls and women! Check out this link for more information on the recipients of this grant.

LIFT Focus on Action Session 3

The third LIFT session that was originally planned for August 11 but was cancelled due to technical difficulties has been rescheduled. The new date is Monday, September 28 at 1pm EST.

We look forward to the discussion of the business imperatives of gender equity which will be led by Cardinal Health CEO, Mike Kaufmann with panelists:

• Francie Henry, Regional President, Fifth Third Bank and Columbus Women’s Commissioner
• Lorraine Lutton, CEO, Mount Carmel Health System
• Karen Morrison, President, OhioHealth Foundation

In the meantime if you missed the first two sessions, you can view them here:

Session 1 - Power to Transform Inside Out--Keynote by Mary Stutts

Session 2 - Improvisation for Building Awareness and Action: Identify. Improvise. Initiate.--ImprovEdge

Click here for more information!