Do the 1.5 million women employed by Wal-Mart at any time since Dec. 26, 1998, have the right to file a class action lawsuit against the retail chain over discriminatory pay and promotion policies and practices in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Attorneys debated that question before U.S. Supreme Court justices March 29 in the matter of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. v. Dukes, for which NASW and others filed an amicus brief saying yes, they do have that right. Attorneys representing six female former Wal-Mart employees convinced lower courts to certify the class by demonstrating that questions of fact — to be decided a...

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Approximately 44 percent of U.S. workers, or 66 million people, are of the baby boomer generation — those born between 1946 and 1964, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. On Jan. 1, the first baby boomers turned 65 (traditionally considered to be retirement age), earning the so-called “golden boomer” status. The coming wave of retiring baby boomers undoubtedly will include many leaders in the field of social work, considering that most members on the boards of NASW and other social work organizations are over 50. Faced with this reality, participants of the 2010 Social Work Congress approved the following imperative: Int...

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Social workers closed out the 27th annual National Professional Social Work Month in March with a flurry of activity to promote the profession, and NASW received a warm letter from President Barack Obama acknowledging the many contributions of social workers. National organizations, including NASW, and members of Congress marked the occasion with the launch of the Congressional Social Work Caucus and reintroduction of the Dorothy I. Height and Whitney M. Young Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act, H.R. 1106/S. 584, on March 15, World Social Work Day. Among other things, the act would create a federal-level commission to conduct a comprehensive ...

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Participants of a Havana day program for older adults who live alone enthusiastically greeted U.S. social workers who were learning about Cuba’s health care and child welfare systems. Despite long-term political differences between the U.S. and Cuba, there is a common interest in services to the young and elderly. This year, NASW led two social work delegations to Havana — one in February and the other in March. The trips were part of NASW’s Social Workers Across Nations initiative. The first group, co-led by Luisa Lopez, director of NASW’s Human Rights and International Affairs Division, and Stacy Collins, an NAS...

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Galvanized by protests of anti-union legislation and budget cuts in nearby Wisconsin earlier this year, social workers mobilized against regressive proposals in several states, including Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. NASW Wisconsin Chapter Executive Director Marc Herstand joined the rallies in Madison numerous times — the chapter’s office is across the street from the Wisconsin Capitol, where thousands of protestors gathered for weeks. Herstand said he is concerned about what will happen to social workers if unions can’t protect them from retaliation for advocating for better working conditions on behalf of their clients. ...

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Susan Dore Lamb has spent most of her life involved with public policy, starting at age 13 when she became an anti-war activist. After many years in various public and nonprofit positions, including 10 years as an elected member of the Maine House of Representatives, Lamb became the new executive director of the NASW Maine Chapter in October. “I applied for the job because it combined the administrative skills that I had with regard to running a nonprofit and my advocacy skills that I learned in lobbying,” she said. “I was really interested in this position because when I reflected on my background, it was clear that I w...

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Panelists at an April Capitol Hill briefing on child maltreatment deaths included (from left) Suzanna Tiapula, Tamara Tunie and Theresa Covington. Tiapula is director of the National District Attorneys Association’s child abuse prosecution initiative; Tunie stars in the television series "Law & Order: SVU;" and Covington is executive director of the National Center for Child Death Review. In an effort to address the rising number of child maltreatment deaths in America, U.S. Rep. David Camp, R-Mich., sponsored an April congressional briefing on the topic. The briefing was hosted by the Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths, of whi...

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A majority of current NASW members believe the association works hard to protect social workers and their practices, according to a recent survey conducted by the independent company Readex Research. NASW, the world’s largest membership organization of professional social workers, sponsored the survey to better promote the profession and improve member services, said Susan Rubin, director of professional development and marketing. “This survey provides NASW with important up-to-date information on what products and services are most important to our membership,” she said. “It is our top priority to strengthen and dev...

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Multiple Chronic Conditions Strategic Framework, unveiled last December, incorporates a number of changes NASW recommended to reduce health disparities. Through the framework; HHS aims to achieve four goals: Foster health care and public health system changes to improve the health of individuals with multiple chronic conditions; Maximize the use of proven self-care management and other services by individuals with multiple chronic conditions; Provide better tools and information to health care, public health and social services workers who deliver care to individuals...

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Advocate for Our Elders I was greatly heartened to read NASW President James J. Kelly’s piece in the April 2011 issue of the NASW News about the importance of gerontological social work. Indeed, while those of us practicing in this field face many challenges, we also “are able to work with many role models, many of whom display tremendous strength and wisdom.” But while recruiting and training workers, we also must continue to advocate for our elders, educating others about aging's negative and positive aspects. Growing older can bring physical and cognitive decline, but it also can bring greater self-knowledge and wisdom,...

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