Legislative Lunch

What: Biennial Vermont Commission on Women Legislative Lunch

Where: Goveronor’s Ballroom, Capitol Plaza Hotel, Montpelier

When: Wednesday, January 11th, 2016 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Contact: 828-2852 or hannah.myers@vermont.gov

VCW Commissioners, Advisory Council Members, Policy Makers, and State Officials are invited to attend.

This will be a great opportunity for you to learn about the Commission’s work and the resources we can provide to you and your constituents. It will also be an opportunity for you to share with us the issues impacting women and girls that you are hearing about from constituents in your area.

The Vermont Commission on Women is a non-partisan state agency working to advance rights and opportunities for women and girls. Sixteen volunteer commissioners and representatives from 25 organizations concerned with women's issues guide VCW's work.

The Commission has been a strong force for Vermont women since 1964, and the legislature has been a powerful partner. Vermont’s legislative accomplishments have included:

• the introduction of the first version of the Fair Employment Practices Act (1970)
• passage of a law requiring every employer in Vermont to adopt a workplace sexual harassment policy (1996)
• amending labor law to guarantee working mothers reasonable accommodations to nurse or express breast milk (2008)
• an Act Relating to Equal Pay, which made Vermont the first state in the country to guarantee employees’ right to request flexible working arrangements (2013)

Of course, there is always more to do, particularly as women in Vermont continue to live in poverty at significantly higher rates than men, and experience a wage gap of 16%. Last month we released the most recent in a series of reports issued by Change The Story VT, an initiative we have embarked on in partnership with the Vermont Women’s Fund and Vermont Works for Women. Our three organizations have pledged to align our voices and leverage our resources to significantly improve women’s economic security in Vermont.

Our lunch selection includes lasagna roulettes stuffed with baby spinach, ricotta, and marinara sauce, with a maple mousse for dessert. We request that guests with dietary restrictions not met by this menu please notify Hannah Myers no later than January 4th, by e-mail at hannah.myers@vermont.gov or by calling (802) 828-2852.

*Note: This event is being paid for by donations to the Vermont Commission on Women Education and Research Foundation. No state dollars are used to fund this event. The Education and Research Foundation funds educational activities of the Vermont Commission on Women, and is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.

Some guests prefer to pay for their own meals. Guests who would like to pay for their meals ($23.00) can do so:

By Credit Card by clicking "Tickets" and selecting the "I will attend and am opting to pay for my meal (via credit card)" ticket option (you will be charged a service fee of $2.26 by EventBrite for credit card processing)

By Check by in the amount of $23.00 made payable to the Vermont Commission on Women Education and Research Foundation, and can be collected at the event or may be mailed in advance to:

Vermont Commission on Women Education and Research Foundation

126 State St.

Montpelier, VT 05633