Author Archives: Jillian Gilchrest

The Connecticut Family Medical Leave Insurance Coalition has released a brief video illustrating the need for a study of Family Medical Leave Insurance.  Take a look and please share! House Bill 6553, An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study … Continue reading →

The Connecticut Legislature took a first step in addressing a very real need amongst working families in Connecticut– paid family & medical leave!  The Legislature’s Labor Committee has introduced HB 6553, An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study Family … Continue reading →

On February 4th, the Governor announced his plans for a new Office of Early Childhood.  His proposal will give early childhood services and programs the focus and attention they deserve.  Finally, there would be one place to go for the … Continue reading →

The 20th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act on February 5 provides an important moment to examine how far our nation has come since President Clinton signed FMLA into law in 1993 and how far we still need … Continue reading →

For the first time, data are available on family well-being across high and low income countries around the world.  The World Family Map Project, a new initiative from Child Trends, acting in partnership with a number of foundations, nongovernmental organizations, … Continue reading →

In January 2012, Connecticut became the first state to guarantee its workers the right to earn paid sick time. This legislation passed as a way to impact the more than 400,00 Connecticut employees, mostly low wage workers, who lack paid sick … Continue reading →

As you may be aware, the United States is one of only three countries that does not offer paid maternity leave benefits.  What you may not know is that there are currently two US states that do offer paid family … Continue reading →

According to new Census data from the American Community Survey,  poverty increased more quickly among Connecticut children, reaching 14.9% in 2011 up from 12.8% in 2010.  This means that 118,809 children live in families with incomes under the Federal Poverty … Continue reading →

By the 2014-15 school year, state officials have plans to replace the mastery test, which is taken by third- through eighth-graders, and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test, which is taken in 10th grade with computerized tests. As a student progresses … Continue reading →