Opportunities for Action on Work and Family Issues
Calendar for 2015
The following dates could be effective hooks for activities that focus on work and family
policies and their impact on promoting economic opportunity for all.
January
 January 1: Anniversary of Connecticut and Portland paid sick days laws taking
effect
 January 3: Passaic, N.J. paid sick days law takes effect
 January 5: Anniversary of Rhode Island paid family leave law taking effect
 January 7: East Orange, N.J. paid sick days law takes effect
 January 8: Irvington, N.J. paid sick days law takes effect
 January 10: Paterson, N.J. paid sick days law takes effect
 January 25: Anniversary of Jersey City paid sick days law taking effect
 January 29: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act enactment anniversary (6th); anniversary of
Newark paid sick days law enactment
February
 Black History Month
 February 2: President’s Budget released; Groundhog Day
 February 3: Anniversary of enactment of New Jersey paid leave
 February 5: Family and Medical Leave Act enactment anniversary (22nd);
anniversary of San Francisco paid sick days law taking effect
 February 13: 2.13 = the tipped minimum wage awareness day
 February 14: Valentine’s Day
 February 16-20: House and Senate congressional recess
March
 Women’s History Month
 March 2: Oakland paid sick days law takes effect
 March 4: Trenton and Montclair, N.J. paid sick days laws (amendments) take effect
 March 8: International Women’s Day
 March 13: Anniversary of Portland paid sick days enactment
 March 30-April 10: House and Senate congressional recess
April
 March 30-April 10: House and Senate congressional recess
 April 1: Anniversary of New York City paid sick days law taking effect
 April 6: Asian American Women’s Equal Pay Day
 April 8: Anniversary of 2014 equal pay executive orders
 April 9: Anniversary of Senate rejecting the Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA) in 2014
 April 14: Equal Pay Day
 April 15: Tax Day
May
 May 10: Mothers’ Day
 May 13: Anniversary of DC paid sick days enactment
 May 25-29: House and Senate congressional recess
 May 29: Anniversary of Newark paid sick days law taking effect
June
 June 10: Equal Pay Act enactment anniversary (52nd)
 June 21: Fathers’ Day
 June 25: Fair Labor Standards Act enactment anniversary (77th)
 June 27: Anniversary of New York City paid sick days law enactment
July
 July 1: Anniversary of both New Jersey and California paid family leave law going
into effect; anniversary of Connecticut paid sick days law enactment; California,
Massachusetts and Eugene (Ore.) paid sick days laws go into effect
 July 2: Civil Rights Act Anniversary (51st)
 July 11: Anniversary of the Rhode Island paid leave law enactment
 July 19-20: Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention anniversary
 July 24: Anniversary of the last minimum wage increase (8th)
 July 28: Black Women’s Equal Pay Day
 July 29: Anniversary of Eugene (Ore.) paid sick days law enactment
 mid-July: U.S. Department of Labor releases National Compensation Survey data
(new paid sick days access rates)
 July 31-Septmber 7: House congressional recess July 31 – September 7; Senate is
August 10-September 7
August
 July 31-September 7: House congressional recess July 31 – September 7; Senate is
August 10-September 7
 August 5: Family and Medical Leave Act implementation anniversary (22nd)
 August 6: Voting Rights Act enactment anniversary (50th)
 August 14: Social Security Act enactment anniversary (80th)
 August 26: Women’s Equality Day (ratification of the 19th Amendment)
 August/September: Back to school season
September
 National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
 July 31-September 7: House congressional recess July 31 – September 7; Senate is
August 10-September 7
 September 1: Anniversary of the Seattle paid sick days law going into effect
 September 2: Anniversary of Passaic paid sick days enactment
 September 7: Labor Day
 September 8: Anniversary of East Orange paid sick days enactment
 September 9: Anniversary of Paterson and Irvington paid sick days enactment
 September 10: Anniversary of California paid sick days enactment
 September 12: Grandparents Day; Anniversary of Seattle paid sick days enactment
 September 15: Anniversary of Senate rejecting PFA – again
 September 23: Anniversary of California paid family leave enactment
 September 26: Anniversary of Jersey City paid sick days enactment
 Mid- September: US Census Bureau releases 2014 wage gap data; U.S. Department
of Labor releases full National Compensation Data (including new paid family leave
access rates)
October
 National Work and Family Month
 October: Anniversary of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women
report recommending paid leave
 October 8: Latinas’ Equal Pay Day
 October 24: FLSA implementation anniversary (77th)
 October 31: Pregnancy Discrimination Act enactment anniversary
November
 November 4: Anniversary of the passage of 4 paid sick days ballot initiatives:
Massachusetts, Oakland, Trenton (N.J.) and Montclair (N.J.)
 November 7: Anniversary of San Francisco paid sick days enactment
 November 8: Election Day in VA and NJ; one year until 2016 general elections.
 November 11: Veterans Day
 November 13: Anniversary of the DC paid sick days law going into effect
December
 December 14: President’s Commission on the Status of Women established
Likely Sites for State and Local Policy Activity in 2015
There is strong interest from coast to coast for passing new policies. We anticipate seeing
significant efforts in the following places (and undoubtedly more will emerge).
 California: Paid sick days implementation in July; campaign to expand California’s
paid sick days law to include in-home supportive services (home care) workers; likely
paid sick days campaigns in Los Angeles and San Jose
 Chicago, Ill.: Paid sick days (advisory ballot initiative in February)
 Colorado: Education around paid family and medical leave
 Connecticut: Paid family leave and possible paid sick days expansion
 D.C.: Paid family leave feasibility study possibly leading to legislation
 Georgia: Legislation requiring that accrued sick days that can be used to care for a
family member (“Family Care Act”)
 Kentucky: Pregnancy accommodation legislation
 Maryland: Paid sick days statewide and municipal efforts in 2015 (Montgomery
County and possibly other locations)
 Massachusetts: Paid family and medical leave and pregnancy accommodation
legislation; implementation of paid sick days in July 2015
 Michigan: Statewide paid sick days campaign (preparation for 2016 ballot)
 Minnesota: Likely statewide and municipal paid sick days efforts in 2015 (locations
TBD)
 Montana: Paid family leave feasibility study possibly leading to legislation
 New Jersey: Statewide paid sick days bill; additional paid sick days municipalities;
implementation
 New York: Paid family leave campaign
 North Carolina: Pregnancy accommodation legislation
 New Hampshire: Paid sick days bill
 Oregon: Statewide paid sick days bill statewide; implementation in Eugene in July
 Philadelphia, PA: Paid sick days likely to pass city council in early 2015
 Rhode Island: Pregnancy accommodations, paid sick days bill; results of paid leave
study grant
 Tacoma, WA: Paid sick days likely to pass city council in early 2015
 Washington: Statewide paid sick days bill
 Vermont: Statewide paid sick days bill