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TABLE 11.-INCIDENCE OF POVERTY AMONG WOMEN AGED 45 TO 64, BY MARITAL STATUS AND RACE, MARCH 1971 AND MARCH 1977-Continued

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Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census: Series P-60, Nos. 86 and 119.

ATTACHMENT 1

The Women's Bureau: Working for Equality in Employment for WomenThe Women's Bureau is the only Federal agency devoted exclusively to the concerns of women in the labor force. Its major objective is to improve the economic status of all women through participating in the development of policy and programs which have an impact on women's employment and their employability, and through working with target groups of women with special employment-related needs to develop programs to meet those needs.

48-594-79- -9

POLICY, PROGRAMS, AND ISSUES

The Bureau works with other Department of Labor agencies to ensure that the needs and concerns of women workers are being addressed by departmental policymakers and program planners. From its position in the Office of the Secretary, the Bureau cooperates with and makes recommendations to other agencies in such areas as: employment and training, sex discrimination, sex stereotyping and nontraditional jobs, occupational safety and health, collection and dissemination of statistical information about women, occupational trends, and international programs related to working women. There is also close cooperation with women's organizations; union women; community groups; and Federal, State, and local agencies on efforts to promote equality for all women. Through this cooperation the Bureau provides access to government policy and program planning to its constituency groups.

Issues of primary concern include:

Enforcement of laws and regulations which prohibit discrimination in employment based on sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or handicap. The Equal Rights Amendment.

Nontraditional jobs for women, especially in apprenticeship and construction work, and in professional and management jobs.

Expanding child care facilities for children of working parents.

Increasing the responsiveness of employment and training programs to the needs of women.

Realistic educational and career counseling.

Alternative work schedules, such as flexitime and part time.

Fair treatment of women in pension and social security systems.

Increasing employment opportunities for young women and assisting teenage mothers to achieve self-sufficiency.

Overcoming problems of women whose employment is adversely affected by imports.

Focusing on problems faced by women as a result of immigration and alien worker policies.

TARGET GROUPS

The Women's Bureau is particularly concerned about certain groups of women who have not been able to enter the economic mainstream because they experience difficulties in obtaining training or jobs, or in advancing in their present employment. Their difficulties may be related to sex, age, and race discrimination or to social, economic, or geographical conditions.

Minority women, including black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian American women, frequently experience discrimination based on their race, color, or national origin as well as sex.

Mature and re-entry women encounter age discrimination as well as other forms of bias in seeking opportunities for training and employment, and are often hampered by lack of job skills and work experience.

Displaced homemakers are women caught in the crisis resulting from a change in family status. Those who must seek employment after divorce, separation, or widowhood are not usually prepared to enter the labor market, and when they do seek employment, they face the same barriers that confront other mature and re-entry women.

Young women frequently do not have information about the full range of work options available to them, or about the training and educational qualifications needed for specific jobs. They are particularly affected by sex-role stereotyping. All teen women have high unemployment rates and minority women 16 to 19 years have the highest unemployment rate in the country.

Battered women are primarily in need of safe, temporary shelter to escape from physical abuse. They may also need medical and legal services. However, those who must become economically self-sufficient after leaving a situation of domestic violence need employment counseling, training, and placement services. Women offenders and ex-offenders who have returned to the community or are on probation or parole have great difficulty in finding housing, job training and placement, counseling, and other support services. In addition, prison vocational training and educational opportunities for women are extremely limited.

Low-income women have problems in obtaining information about their rights and the availability of community services for counseling, training, jobs, and child care. Women who are working in low paid jobs need access to career counseling and other information about training and opportunities for higher paid jobs with more possibilities for advancement.

Rural women have problems that are related to living in isolated areas, such as lack of transportation and access to education, training, and jobs.

Women business owners frequently need additional skills in management, financing, marketing, and other business processes, and information about access to government contracts.

SERVICES AND FUNCTIONS

In carrying out its major objectives related to policy and program development to promote equality for women, the Bureau serves in several different capacities. The Women's Bureau is:

An advocate.-Acts as an advocate for working women by analyzing programs and policies within the Department of Labor and the Administration for impact on women, proposing policies and programs which will help meet the employmentrelated needs of women, and drawing attention to women's employment issues through speeches, articles, and publications.

An advisor.-Provides technical assistance in developing programs and proposals for programs to help women with employment-related problems, and by evaluating and recommending good proposals for funding by the Department of Labor.

A stimulator.-Initiates women's employment programs which can be used as models for community groups, schools, and CETA prime sponsors (State and local government units), and encourages local groups to seek funding for such programs. A catalyst. Brings groups of women, employers, educators, community leaders, and representatives of government agencies and unions together to share resources, and to develop strategies and progrgms for women, particularly at the community level.

A monitor. Keeps track of legislation in Congress and State legislatures, and legal issues before the courts in order to make recommendations to and work with other Department of Labor agencies in developing policies and guidelines that affect women workers.

A clearinghouse,-Provides economic and legal data and other information about women workers, women's issues, and the Bureau's target groups to individuals; organizations; international groups and visitors; Federal, State, and local agencies; and to Congress.

The Women's Bureau, however, is not:

An employment agency. It is not able to provide individual job counseling, referral, or placement services to jobseekers, or related services to employers. It does, however, provide general information about occupational trends and recruiting sources upon request.

An enforcement agency.-It does not enforce any laws, nor is it responsible for issuing guidelines or regulations that affect women workers. However, the Bureau does work closely with other enforcement agencies, participates in the process of writing regulations and guidelines issued by the Department of Labor, comments on regulations of other Federal agencies, and informs women about their rights under Federal laws and regulations.

A funding agency.-The Bureau does not have money budgeted for funding purposes. However, monies from other agencies have at times been channeled to the Bureau to fund specific pilot or demonstration programs designed to identify or meet the needs of women.

STRUCTURE

The national office of the Women's Bureau in Washington, D.C., develops policy and program directions. Regional administrators in each of the Department of Labor's 10 regions carry out agency programs in the field and provide information at the local level.

If you would like more information about the Women's Bureau, its programs, objectives, and services, please contact the national office or the regional administrator who serves your State.

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1515 Broadway-Room 3575,

New York, New York 10036,

Phone: (212) 399-2935

Room 505,

REGION VI

555 Griffin Square Building,
Griffin and Young Streets,
Dallas, Texas 75202,

Phone: (214) 767-6985

(Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)

REGION VII

2511 Federal Building,

911 Walnut Street,

(New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Kansas City, Missouri 64106,

Virgin Islands)

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Phone: (816) 374-6108

911 Walnut Street,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106,
Phone: (816) 374-6108

(Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)

REGION VIII

1432 Federal Building,

1961 Stout Street,

Denver, Colorado 80202,
Phone: (303) 837-4138

(Colorado, Montana, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)

REGION IX

Room 11411, Federal Building,
450 Golden Gate Avenue,
San Francisco, California 94102,
Phone: (415) 556-2377

(Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada)

REGION X

Room 3032, Federal Office Building, 909 First Avenue,

Seattle, Washington 98174

Phone: (206) 442-1534

(Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington)

MANDATE

To formulate standards and policies which shall promote the welfare of wageearning women, improve their working conditions, increase their efficiency, and advance their opportunities for profitable employment.

An act to establish in the Department of Labor a Bureau to be known as the Women's Bureau. June 5, 1920.

ATTACHMENT 2

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO ASSIST WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

INTRODUCTION

The first survey of women-owned businesses was published in 1976, and was based on information contained in the 1972 census. The survey was produced by the Office of Minority Business Enterprise and the Bureau of the Census in the Department of Commerce.

This survey, "Women-Owned Business-1972," showed there were 402,025 women-owned businesses. These businesses had $8.1 billion in receipts, which represented 0.3 percent of the gross national product, and represented 4.6 percent of the total businesses in the United States.

Other significant findings indicated that:

98 percent of women-owned businesses were sole proprietorships and accounted for 89 percent of gross receipts; 2 percent were partnerships with 7 percent of gross receipts; and 0.3 percent were corporations with 4 percent of gross receipts. 73 percent of women-owned firms had fewer than 5 employees; these accounted for only 43 percent of total receipts.

71 percent of all women-owned businesses were highly concentrated in selected service industries and in retail trade. The three largest major industry groups representing the largest dollar volume were eating and drinking establishments (27,402 with receipts totaling $993 million); retail stores (65,265 with receipts totaling $950 million); and food stores and markets (16,994 with receipts totaling $881 million).

Nearly 39 percent of all firms owned by women were concentrated in 5 states: California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Ohio. California, with 51,847 such businesses, had the largest number.

The data obtained from the 1972 survey was not totally accurate, because corporations with more than 10 shareholders were not included.

This survey is currently being updated to reflect 1977 statistics, and new results will be published in mid-1979.

I. PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS

1. The President's Task Force on Women Business Owners

The Task Force was appointed by President Carter in August, 1977, to research and make recommendations about the Federal impact on women-owned businesses and what could be done to bring more women into the economic mainstream. Departments and agencies represented on the Task Force were the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Treasury, Labor, Health, Education, and Welfare and the General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration, as well as ex officio members from the White House and the Federal Trade Commission.

The Task Force Report, which is entitled, "The Bottom Line: Unequal Enterprise in America,' and contains more than 37 recommendations, was presented to President Carter on June 28, 1978.

2. The President's Interagency Committee on Women's Business Enterprise

To implement the recommendations of the Interagency Task Force on women Business Owners, the President directed the establishment of an Interagency Committee on Women's Business Enterprise. The Departments of Commerce, Labor, Treasury, Defense, Agriculture, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Health, Education, and Welfare, Transportation, Interior and the Small Business Administration, Federal Trade Commission, General Services Administration and the National Science Foundation are on the Committee which is moving vigorously to develop new policies and programs in this area.

The SBA provides an Executive Director and staff support for its work.

3. Presidential Commitment for the Future

President Carter stated in October, 1978:

"More must be done to assist women business owners into the economic mainstream *** I shall soon announce new steps to aid women entrepreneurs and businesses owned by women."

II. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

In response to the growing interest of women in entrepreneurship, the Small Business Administration launched the National Women's Business Ownership Campaign at a White House Ceremony in August, 1977, with the full backing of President Carter. The Campaign is designed to assist present and prospective women entrepreneurs by making the Agency more responsive to their needs. 1. SBA's National Women's Business Ownership Campaign

A. Campaign structure.-A coordinating structure for the National Women's Business Ownership Campaign (NWBOC) was established within the Agency. Composed of central office representatives from all operating divisions of the Agency, and one field representative, the committee meets monthly to discuss

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