Travis Participates in Senate Meeting on Women in the Workplace

Professor Travis (right) talks with Sen. Klobuchar (second from left) and other meeting participants.

The March meeting, which took place in Washington, D.C., was part of an ongoing effort by the committee to seek innovative perspectives on economic challenges.

“I felt privileged to participate in such an important brainstorming session with Democratic senators and women leaders to strategize about initiatives for creating jobs and economically empowering women workers,” Travis said. “These Senate roundtable discussions enable diverse and experienced constituencies to inform public policies in ways that prioritize the needs and interests of women who are seeking economic self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.”

Travis’ remarks focused on the necessity of flexible work arrangements, such as part-time work, job-sharing, compressed workweeks, and telecommuting, to advance women’s workplace equality.

“To allow women to combine meaningful care-giving responsibilities with stable and economically-sustainable work requires a public policy platform that envisions access to flexible work arrangements—not as an exception or benefit, but as a core workplace norm,” she says.

The meeting also focused on how providing employees with sick leave and onsite childcare programs can help make businesses more competitive, and increasing access to capital for women-owned businesses.

“When women are able to compete and succeed in the business community, it strengthens our entire economy,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said. “This meeting brought together women leaders from around the country to discuss how we can support women in the workplace and ensure that women-owned businesses have access to capital and other tools they need to grow and thrive.”