Women Employed

06/22/2026

📢 Effective July 1, 2026, the Cook County Minimum Wage for non-tipped workers will
increase to $15.40 and the minimum wage for tipped workers will increase to $9.25.

The updated "Notice to Employees" and "Frequently Asked Questions" documents are
available here: https://ow.ly/X6Qz50Z8vpa

Employees who believe their employer is not paying the required minimum wage should
first check to ensure the municipality where they work does not have a different minimum
wage. If the municipality has not opted out, employees can file a complaint with the Cook County Commission on Human Rights.
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📢 A partir del 1 de julio de 2026, el salario mínimo del condado de Cook para los trabajadores que no reciben propinas aumentará a $15.40 y el salario mínimo para los trabajadores que reciben propinas aumentará a $9.25.

Los documentos actualizados "Aviso a los empleados" y "Preguntas frecuentes" están
disponibles aquí: https://ow.ly/X6Qz50Z8vpa

Los empleados que creen que su empleador no está pagando el salario mínimo requerido
primero deben verificar para asegurarse de que el municipio donde trabajan no tenga un salario mínimo diferente. Si el municipio no ha optado por no participar, los empleados pueden
presentar una queja ante la Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Condado de Cook.

06/21/2026

Happy Father's Day! While their unpaid caregiving is worth more than $410 billion annually, most men still do not have access to paid family leave. Too many dads have to choose between a paycheck and caring for their families?

For we want ALL dads to have . Read more from our friends at the National Partnership for Women & Families: https://ow.ly/7ni850ZeWe9

06/20/2026

✔️ Mark your calendars! Women Employed would like to invite you to join us for our June Advocacy Council meeting. This virtual meeting will feature a panel discussion with our Advocacy Council and the 2026 class of The Pattis Family Foundation Summer Leadership Program‼️

📅 Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
🕛 Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. CT

Please register to confirm your attendance: https://ow.ly/t2MS50Zb5S5

06/19/2026

Today, we honor Juneteenth—the day the last enslaved people in the United States were finally freed in 1865. As we celebrate Black resilience, culture, and achievements, we also reflect on the ongoing struggle for racial justice and civil rights, recognizing that the work to achieve true equity remains unfinished more than 160 years later. With increasing concerns about federal civil rights agencies and protections across the country, let’s make this a day to counteract discrimination with action!

From jazz concerts and second-line parades to family festivals and community cookouts, read where to celebrate across Chicago this week with Block Club Chicago's Juneteenth 2026: How to Celebrate In Chicago This Year —https://ow.ly/OT4e50ZesYq

06/18/2026

Please join us in celebrating our recent Board of Directors moves. Our board's leadership, expertise, and commitment help guide our mission and strengthen our impact.

Women Employed is grateful to Lynn Watkins-Asiyanbi for her incredible leadership serving as Board Chair since 2020, and for continuing her service as a Director since 2014. WE are also excited to welcome incoming officers, including Meghan Shehorn as incoming Board Chair! Meghan has been a Director since 2019 and has served as Vice Chair since 2023. And we are thrilled that Joanna Trotter, who has been a Director since 2022 will be coming in as our new Vice Chair.

We also would like to acknowledge and congratulate our returning officers! Holly Bartecki will continue as Secretary; she has served as a Director since 2019 and has served in the role of Secretary since 2023. And Nakita Burrell will continue as Treasurer; she has served as a Director since 2019 and has served in the role of Treasurer since 2020.

Finally, a BIG welcome to our new Board Committee Chairs! Carrie Garcia Palmer who has served as a Director since 2021, will now become the Governance Committee Chair and Lynn Watkins-Asiyanbi will step into the role of the Fundraising Committee Chair.

06/17/2026

🏳️‍🌈 Today we observe Awareness Day. Join Women Employed with advocates, lawmakers, and community members nationwide for a national social media storm at 1 PM CT to oppose the EEOC's proposed rescission of EEO-1 demographic data collection, and to urge Congress to pass the Act!

Since 1966, the has required many employers to report workplace demographic data on their employees each year—including things like job category, gender, and race/ethnicity. This data is a powerful tool for fighting workplace discrimination. It aids investigations by illustrating patterns of discrimination, allows employers to examine their own employment practices, and provides vital information to researchers, the press, and the public. The administration is threatening to end EEO-1 reporting, which will make it harder to find and address employment discrimination. And you can’t fix something you can’t see!

The in the Workplace Act would strengthen federal protections against workplace harassment and discrimination, and would make it clear that discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity is against the law. will help LGBTQIA+ workers access equal opportunity and . That’s especially important now, when the EEOC’s enforcement and protection of ALL workers has been weakened and weaponized.

06/13/2026

Q: Does raising the tipped subminimum wage hurt the restaurant industry?
A: Economic research does NOT find that boosting the minimum wage for tipped workers hurts the restaurant industry.

Q: Don’t tipped workers earn enough to earn a living wage?
A: Tipped workers, including restaurant servers and bartenders, are overwhelmingly low-paid workers. Many struggle to make ends meet.

Read more of the Economic Policy Institute's FAQ which debunks myths around raising the minimum wage below. 👇🏾

For nearly 90 years, the minimum wage has been one of the core labor standards shaping job quality for workers in the United States. Since the 1938 enactment of the federal minimum wage as a core pillar of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), policymakers in Congress and later in dozens of states, c...

06/08/2026

🧸 Thinking about starting a childcare business? Join our partners 🤝🏽 at Women's Business Development Center for this virtual session designed to help aspiring childcare providers move from idea to action. Participants will learn about licensing and legal requirements, choosing the right setup, building a business plan and budget, and marketing childcare services to families.

📌 Event: How to Start your Childcare Business: From Vision to Reality
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2026
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
📍 Location: Virtual via Zoom
💵 Cost: Free
🔗 Register: https://ow.ly/qPxw50Z8MAp