What I'm Fighting For

 

Pay equity
Momentum is building across the country and in Connecticut for pay equity legislation. Connecticut women working full time are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men working full time. The pay gap is even greater for African-American and Latina women. It’s time to eliminate the pay history question from the job application process and close the gender wage gap.

Earned family and medical leave
Working families should never have to choose between caring for a loved one and collecting a paycheck, rather they should have the best of both worlds. By establishing an earned family and medical leave system in Connecticut, we can ensure employees are able to take paid time off to care for a family member or a newborn.

Increasing the minimum wage
To help countless workers who are struggling to make ends meet, we need to gradually increase the minimum wage so employees can earn a livable wage.

Addressing existing health disparities
All women, regardless of their age or race, should have the power to choose when and if they are going to start a family. We can address the significant health disparities present in our state by improving black women's access to health services, health providers and sex education, and protecting their right to affordable birth control.

10 essential benefits
To ensure that health insurance plans offered in Connecticut cover the “10 essential benefits” protected by the Affordable Care Act, we need to pass legislation that codifies these provisions into state law.

Building on the Affordable Care Act’s preventative coverage
We need to increase the progress made in reproductive health coverage by the Affordable Care Act by expanding coverage for contraception to include 12-month prescription coverage and emergency contraception with no co-pay.