News
Berkeley CHEFS News
2011
Please join Ann O'Leary in Washington, DC on Thursday, April 7th for a discussion of "Family Security Insurance," the proposal for paid family leave developed by Berkeley CHEFS in partnership with Workplace Flexibility 2010 at Georgetown University Law Center. See details from the New America Foundation and RSVP directly to New America by following this link.
Ann O'Leary joined a panel of experts in Washington, DC on Thursday, April 7th for a discussion of "Family Security Insurance," the proposal for paid family leave developed by Berkeley CHEFS in partnership with Workplace Flexibility 2010 at Georgetown University Law Center. To view a video recording of the event's proceedings, please visit this link.
March 9, 2011 - Mary Ann Mason in The Chronicle of Higher Education notes that gender equality in academe is still not within striking distance for most women. In her article, "The Pyramid Problem," she comments that on the three factors used to measure gender equality - representation on the faculty, salary parity and family formation - women are falling short.
Ann O'Leary joined the Families and Work Institute for a Corporate Leadership Circle conference call to discuss the findings from "A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's." The call focused on elder care and the support programs and policies needed in response to the profound cultural and economic shifts that are affecting our work and family lives as America ages. To listen to the complete report, please follow this link. Additionally, the conference calls information, materials and accompanying resources can also be found on their Web site.
UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education and Berkeley CHEFS released the first in a series of policy briefs, "Maximizing Health Care Enrollment through Seamless Coverage for Families in Transition: Current Trends and Policy Implications," that discusses seamless health care insurance coverage for families lacking coverage due to a work or life transition. In this brief, Ken Jacobs, Laurel Lucia, Ann O'Leary and Ann Marie Marciarille review the literature on the prevalence of uninsurance caused by work or life transitions.
Ann O'Leary and her "Our Working Nation - How Women's Progress is Reshaping America's Families and Economy" co-author Heather Boushey joined Maria Reitan on Purse Strings to discuss women's transformative move from the home and into the workplace has impacted everythin gand the policy changes that need to happen to accomodate this seismic shift in our society. Click here to listen to the full story.
Ann O'Leary co-authors a new publication, "A Guide To Implementing Paid Family Leave Lessons From California," released January 13, 2011 offering a primer on the nation’s first paid family leave program, implemented six years ago in California, and the do’s and don’ts other states should consider as they pursue similar proposals. The guide, from the Labor Project for Working Families and Berkeley CHEFS, sees California as a model for how Americans can juggle work and family responsibilities in the 21st century. Download the publication here. Click here to view video of the event.
On January 25, 2011, Ann O'Leary and her "Our Working Nation – How Women's Progress is Reshaping America's Families and Economy" co-author Heather Boushey joined Maria Reitan on Purse Strings to discuss women's transformative move from the home and into the workplace has impacted everything and the policy changes that need to happen to accommodate this seismic shift in our society. Click here to listen to the full story.
AFL-CIO Now Blog, January 16, 2011 - Co-author Ann O'Leary, executive director of the Berkeley Center for Health, Economic & Family Security, adds: More and more Americans are combining work with family responsibilities, and they can't afford to sacrifice one or the other.
January 12, 2011, The Chronicle of Higher Learning - Mary Ann Mason's article, "How to Change Workplace Culture on Parenting," looks at the UC system and its faculty to examine why their family friendly policies, including teaching-relief benefits, are not used more often.
January 5, 2011, Mary Ann Mason comments on, "Keeping Women in Science on a Tenure Track" in the New York Times.
2010
On Thursday, December 2, Georgetown Law’s Workplace Flexibility 2010 and the Berkeley Center on Health, Economic & Family Security (Berkeley CHEFS) at UC Berkeley School of Law released a new report entitled, “Family Security Insurance: A New Foundation for Economic Security.” The report provides a blueprint for establishing and financing a new national insurance program to provide wage replacement for time off for health and caregiving needs.
Click here to read the press release.
Click here to read the report.
Berkeley CHEFS Research Fellow, Angela Clements, returned to University of Nebraska -Lincoln to talk about her experience as a Truman Scholar at UNL's Truman Day, November 8, 2010.
The Sacramento Bee, October 26, 2010, Stephen M. Shortell writes, "Prevention is the key to getting a handle on health care costs."
O'Leary will also speak at the Center for American Progress' panel discussion, A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's, on Monday, October 18. This event will be webcast live.
Sunday morning, October 17, Ann O'Leary joined Maria Shriver on This Week with Christiane Amanpour kicking off a network wide series outlining the scope, the costs and the impact of Alzheimer's. To watch the video segment featuring O'Leary and Shriver, please follow this link.
Ann O'Leary contributed a chapter as well as providing the academic anchor to the newly released The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's. On October 15th, Maria Shriver and the Alzheimer's Association released this groundbreaking report, describing an epidemic of huge proportions for which American women, government, business and families are ill-prepared. For the full press release follow this link.
September 7, 2010, Berkeley Law Center Report Takes Aim at New State Budget Proposal. It finds that Gov. Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget could have a negative impact on children, families, schools, communities, and the economy.
The American Prospect, September 2, 2010, Ann O'Leary writes on "The Power to Act." Within her article, she outlines the well-established legal authority for stronger presidential action to promote good jobs.
New America's David Gray talks with Ann O’Leary, Executive Director of the Berkeley CHEFS, who reflects on California's Model for Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave
Bills before the California Legislature in June 2010 create the California Health Benefit Exchange, the state's first step toward implementation of the requirement in the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 that states create exchanges for purchasing individual and small group insurance. Berkeley CHEFS drafted a technical assistance memorandum for California policymakers with recommendations that promote access to good, affordable coverage options
On June 28, 2010 the U.S. Supreme Court denied review of the Ninth Circuit decision in Golden Gate Restaurant Association v. City and County of San Francisco, a legal challenge by the restaurant association to a provision in San Francisco's Health Care Security Ordinance that requires employers to spend a minimum amount of money on health care for their employees or pay a fee to the City. The restaurant association had argued that the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) preempted the provision. In 2009, Berkeley CHEFS filed an amicus brief on behalf of two San Francisco restaurants, Zazie and Medjool, that supported the employer health care spending requirement. In denying review, the Supreme Court let stand the 2008 Ninth Circuit ruling that upheld the San Francisco law. For more details, see the San Francisco City Attorney's Office press release.
On June 5, 2010, Melissa Rodgers presented her work on Medical-Legal Collaborations at the 33rd Annual Health Law Professors Conference in Austin, Texas. Organized by the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, the Annual Health Law Professors Conference focuses on developments at the cutting edge of law and medicine.
May 4, 2010, Mary Ann Mason writes, "America Should Compete for Women Scientists," an op-ed published in Science Progress.
April 21, 2010, San Francisco, CA - Emerging Trends in Workplace Flexibility. Ann O'Leary to deliver keynote address in San Francisco at the Flexperience annual Bay Area event on workplace flexibility. O'Leary will discuss her work on The Shriver report with Maria Shriver, her research on the government policy side of the family friendly policies, and how to build the business case for alternative workforce programs. This event is being sponsored by Flexeperience.
Sacramento, CA, March 25, 2010, Ann O'Leary presented at the California Working Families Policy Summit 2010 hosted by the California Center on Research on Women and Families. The event featured an important message on working families from First Lady Michelle Obama.
March 19, 2010, Melissa Rodgers comments, "Healthcare Bill Is A Good First Step Toward Healthcare Reform," in an interview by Tech Ticker, Yahoo! Finance.
Mary Ann Mason publishes her latest op-ed on "Women, Tenure and the Law" on March 17, 2010 in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
EEOC Acting Chairman Stuart Ishimaru references the Shriver Report in Senate testimony supporting the Paycheck Fairness Act on March 11, 2010.
Sacramento, CA, February 25, 2010 - California Working Families Policy Summit 2010. Ann O'Leary presented at the California Working Families Policy Summit hosted by the California Center on Research on Women and Families. The event featured an important message on working families from First Lady Michelle Obama. more ...
February 17, 2010, Ann O'Leary presented an overview of the Shriver Report at an informational hearing of the Assembly Labor Committee with the Legislative Women's Caucus in Sacramento, CA. To view Ann's testimony click here. Ann O'Leary gave testimony at the House of Representative's Education and Labor Committee, Subcommittee Workforce Protections Hearing. "The Impact of Women’s Growing Participation in the Workforce: ‘the Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything." Follow this link for O'Leary's testimony. For all of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee testimony, including Rep. Lynn Woolsey's (CA) Opening Statement, please follow this link.
January 2010 - President Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden announced key investments in the middle class signaling recognition of the profound transformation in the American workforce and the American family. As first highlighted in "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Changes Everything," and by the administration, two-thirds of U.S. families with children are headed by two working parents or a single working parent. Our economic policies must be responsive to this reality. The president's announcement of a major new investment in childcare for America's working families and a down payment in helping families support aging relatives is a critical first step toward job stability for the millions of American workers more . . .
Mary Ann Mason writes, "Still Earning Less," published in The Chronicle of Higher Education on January 13, 2010.
2009
The Fall-Winter issue of Berkeley Law's Transcript magazine highlights Ann O'Leary's collaboration with Maria Shriver on The Shriver Report. To read the article click here.
Mary Ann Mason laments "leak" of female academics from tenure-track pipelin in Science Progress, November 2009.
November 13, 2009, Ann O'Leary gave testimony at the House of Representative's Education and Labor Committee, Subcommittee Workforce Protections Hearing.
"The Impact of Women’s Growing Participation in the Workforce: ‘the Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything.’
Follow this link for O'Leary's testimony.
For all of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee testimony, including Rep. Lynn Woolsey's (CA) Opening Statement, please follow this link.
Women lead seismic shift in the workplace. The Washington Times, November 4, 2009
Ann O'Leary calls on government and business to step up and help workers through updated labor standards and laws that are comprehensive enough to meet the emerging needs of both men and women.
The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything, October 18, 2009
The "Shriver Report" is a collaboration between Maria Shriver, the Center for American Progress, Berkeley CHEFS, and Time magazine to explore the current condition of U.S. women with a particular emphasis on the economic downturn's impact. To view the entire document, download the Executive Summary, individual chapters, etc., please follow this link: http://www.awomansnation.com/
Whither healthcare reform? Policy experts at Berkeley offer insights and predictions on the debate, UC Berkeley News Center, September 21, 2009
CHEFS files U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief in Healthy San Francisco case, August 24, 2009
Berkeley CHEFS filed an amicus brief on behalf of two San Francisco restaurants opposing a petition that asks the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether San Francisco's Health Care Security Ordinance should stand. The restaurants, Zazie and Medjool, support the law's requirement that employers contribute a minimum amount toward employee health care. The 9th Circuit has ruled that the San Francisco law does not violate ERISA. Download the brief here. Click here to read the press release.
A Public Option that Works, The New York Times, August 21, 2009
Jacob Hacker is cited in new article on health care, Sacramento Bee, August 21, 2009
Ten Health Care Terms You Need to Know, Youth Radio, August 20, 2009
Berkeley CHEFS associate director Melissa Rodgers argues that national policymakers have much to learn from California’s recent attempt at health reform and that success depends on quick action. She offers 10 Lessons for National Health Care Reform in this June 23, 2009 op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Professor Jacob Hacker testified before the House Education and Labor Committee at a June 23, 2009 hearing on the forthcoming draft proposal for health care reform. Download his testimony here.
Executive Director Ann O'Leary discusses the importance of gaining federal family paid leave legislation, Paid Parental Leave Helps Families and the Economy
Jacob Hacker on Healthy Competition, The Why and How of "Public Plan Choice" The New England Journal of Medicine, May 28, 2009
News and views from Newt Gingrich and Professor Jacob Hacker, Two faces of the Public Plan Coin, Politico.com, April 14, 2009
The New Republic on Jacob Hacker's new plan, April 8, 2009, Selling a Public Plan to its Skeptics
NPR online, April 7, 2009 Battle Lines Drawn over Public Insurance Plan tackles health reform
Mary Ann Mason on Role Models and Mentors, Chronicle of Higher Education, March 2009
Yes We Can? The New Push for American Health Security, by Jacob Hacker, Politics Society 2009;37 March 31, 2009
Steve Sugarman, "Too much salt? Try Cap and Trade in the Diet", SF Gate, March 1, 2009
Ann O'Leary on why the Fair Pay Act Isn't Enough, San Francisco Chronicle, February 4, 2009
Jacob Hacker on the Road to Healthcare Reform Christian Science Monitor, February 3, 2009 edition
Getting Health Reform Right: A Q and A with Jacob Hacker with RJ Eskow Posted, February 2, 2009
Mary Ann Mason on Why Graduate Students Reject the Fast Track, January-February 2009 online edition of the AAUP bulletin Academe
Jacob Hacker featured in SF Chronicle piece, Think Tank for the New Administration, San Francisco Chronicle, January 25, 2009
Grad Students Think Twice about Jobs in Academe, highlights study led by Mary Ann Mason, Chronicle of Higher Ed, January 15, 2009
Inside Higher Ed highlights study led by Mary Ann Mason, Inside Higher Ed, January 20, 2009
2008
Jacob Hacker Says Innovative 401(k) Plans Expose Consumers to Financial Risk, The Wall Street Journal, November 29, 2008 by Eleanor Laise
Frozen Eggs: Oocyte Cryopreservation is not the secret to professional success in academe, Mary Ann Mason, Chronicle of Higher Education, November 21, 2008
Jacob Hacker Suggests Revisions to 401(k) Plans, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, November 20, 2008 by Jeffrey Brown
Do Babies Matter in Science?, Mary Ann Mason, Chronicle of Higher Education, October 17 2008
It's Really, Really, Really Over by Jacob Hacker, The New Republic, October 16, 2008
Should we demand improved public health outcomes from industry with more regulations, Stephen Sugarman, British Medical Journal, October 2, 2008
Speaking Truth to Power -The Need for, and Perils of, Health Policy Expertise in the White House, Jacob Hacker, New England Journal of Medicine, September 11, 2008
Health care's the key to economic security and opportunity Jacob Hacker, Seattle Times, September 9, 2008
Ann O’Leary Predicts Palin Will Disappoint Women Voters , Ann O'Leary, San Francisco Chronicle, September 7, 2008
