Legal Momentum - Advancing Women's Rights

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spotlight issue

New Unemployment Insurance Bill Extends Eligibility to Sexual Assault Victims

Irasema Garza, President of Legal Momentum,  says, "This bill provides a much-needed lifeline to the millions of workers, families, and communities who are simply running out of options and running out of time. Moreover, we applaud the provisions in this bill that extend assistance to one of the nation's most vulnerable populations: victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Women should never have to choose between economic security and physical safety, and this legislation is a step towards making that goal a reality." More >>

 

Expert Reports

ARRA: Extending Unemployment Insurance to Victims of Violence
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) included several provisions for modernizing state unemployment insurance systems, such as providing access to unemployment insurance benefits to various groups who were not previously covered by state laws, including victims of domestic violence. Read the Report to find out which states updated their unemployment insurance eligibility in accordance with ARRA's provisions. More »

Legal Momentum Congressional Testimony on Social Safety Net's Response to Recession
Submitted to the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the House Committee on Ways and Means: Millions of women and children are living in extreme poverty, many experiencing hunger, eviction, and other deprivations, in significant part due to fundamental flaws in the safety net and the safety net’s failure adequately to respond to the recession. More »

News

11/06/2009 Today the President will sign the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. In addition to extending unemployment insurance benefits in every state, the Act includes a provision to increase federal funding incentives to states which extend access to unemployment insurance to victims of sexual assault. More »

10/14/2009 Legal Momentum applauds the Department of Homeland Security’s release of its report, “Immigration Detention Overview and Recommendations” and notes that the Department’s recently announced plans to overhaul the broken immigration detention system are a positive step towards a humane and civil detention system. More reform, however, is still needed. More »

Events

2009 Equal Opportunity Awards
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The 2009 Equal Opportunity Awards Dinner will recognize Nordstrom, Inc., under the leadership of the Nordstrom family, and Ellen M. Dwyer, Managing Partner of Crowell & Moring LLP, for their groundbreaking leadership and dedication to supporting women in the workplace. More »

Poverty and Welfare in the United States: A Human Rights Violation?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Panel discussion presented by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Social Welfare Committee. More »