federal law. In 2006, WE helped win $34.4 million in funding for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant, making college more accessible to more than 150,000 low-income students in Illinois. WE was part of a national coalition that advocated for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first women's rights legislation passed during the Obama administration. This law, signed in early 2009, increases employees' ability to fight pay discrimination. In 2010, the US Department of Labor selected WE's Career Coach as a Top 10 Career Exploration Tool. Career Coach enables low-income, low-literacy adults to explore career options, define career goals, and identify local education and training resources. Current initiatives Promoting fair workplaces Despite many improvements in women's economic status over the past three decades, employment discrimination and unfairness in the workplace are still a fact of life for many women. On average, women make only 80 cents for every dollar a man makes, and can lose an immense amount of wages over a lifetime due to the wage gap which persists despite education level. A disproportionate number of women are clustered in low-paying, part-time jobs, often without benefits or dependable hours. Women Employed promotes equal pay, fair workplace practices, and work-family balance. Women Employed also advocates for stronger anti-discrimination laws and equal employment opportunities in workplaces. As the leader of the Earned Sick Time Chicago Coalition, Women Employed played a leadership role in advocating for paid sick time ordinances in Chicago and Cook County. Those ordinances both passed in 2016, and went into effect on July 1, 2017. As the leader of the Illinois Paid Leave Coalition, WE is working to pass legislation that would guarantee all working people in the state of Illinois access to paid sick leave which they could take when they are sick, or to care for sick family members. Increasing access to education and training Nearly 15 million women in the U.S. earn too little to cover basic living expenses for their families, despite working in full-time, year-round jobs. Education is one proven strategy for raising incomes. A woman with a two-year associate degree earns 28 percent more and a woman with a bachelor's degree earns 75 percent more than a woman with only a high school education. Women Employed advocates to ensure high-quality postsecondary education programs and to increase access to supports that help women succeed in education and training. References External links Official