Family Leave is GOOD FOR COMPANIES & SOCIETY

These Thursday TED Talks highlight how 

supporting families brings more equality & diversity to the workplace...

Parenting is Real Work:

What if we started treating parenting like the real work it is? Podcast host and CEO Angela Garbes details how working families have evolved -- and how companies haven't -- and gives insight into what parents really need from their colleagues and workplaces.

Paternity Leave for Dads benefits EVERYONE:

Paternity leave has many benefits for dads, their partners and their babies -- but did you know it also has surprising benefits for companies? This is what author Shu Matsuo Post learned from his seven transformative months of paternity leave -- and he says it can create more equal and diverse workplaces and even boost productivity.

The Way We Work: 2021

Where to Start: Caring for Older Family Members

It takes a village. You’ve probably heard the saying, but the elder caregiving journey gives it new meaning. If you’re trying to plan ahead for Mom’s future care needs or you’ve suddenly found yourself coordinating care for Dad, creating a family care plan and assembling a team to carry it out can help. Find out how to get started in these Bright Horizons® family webinars: 

Elder Caregiving: A Guide to Working Together

Caregiving Questions - Answered

National Infertility Awareness Week

 April 18-24, 2021 is National Infertility Awareness Week

In honor of our industry members

who seek fertility support to start their families

we are committed to raising awareness

and working toward more inclusive health care.

First Step: Raise awareness and set intentions

Resolution to Research

Health Insurance Inclusive of Assisted Reproductive Care

Presented by the delegates to the 2019 District 2 Convention

Representing The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839

Whereas members struggling to become parents are faced with a lack of assistance from our collectively bargained health plans, as those plans do not provide sufficient or any coverage for infertility care;

And whereas there is an existing precedent for American medical plans offering assisted reproductive therapies such as in vitro fertilization, egg freezing, and fertility treatments;

 

And whereas our union includes diverse membership with varying reproductive needs (including the LGBT community, members undergoing medical treatments which can harm fertility, such as radiation or chemotherapy, and members with medical conditions which affect fertility);

 

And whereas the nature of our industry can make it difficult for members to combine work and parenthood, leading some members to choose to postpone parenthood through egg freezing or fertility treatments;

 

We resolve to explore options for including the above coverage in our health insurance and present them to the appropriate leaders and members of Boards of Directors for inclusion in our plans.

 

Second Step: Show support and share your story

Actions you can take this week:

• #WearOrange to raise awareness this Wednesday, April 21st
• Share your story here
• Read personal stories to better understand infertility experiences  

 

Visit the NIAW website to learn more!

#TAG #Resolution #AnimationIsFamily #WearOrange #infertility

You're invited: MPTF Advance Directive Workshop 11/18/20

 

Caregiver Support Group 11/14/20

TAG 839's Caregiver Support Group is back --

This Saturday!

November 14, 2020

4:00 pm PST

RSVP for a Zoom link: animationisfamily@gmail.com

This diverse group meets monthly to show support and share resources on a variety of caregiving topics. New members are always welcome.

This week, we'll be talking about Advanced Directives - you're never too young to plan ahead!

Zoom call hosted by FAM Committee chair, Kristin Donner

and facilitated by MPTF social worker, Hannah Goldstein, MSW.

You're Invited: Caregivers Support Group 10/10

Parents, Caregivers & Family Members:

Join us for a Zoom Meet-Up!

Saturday, October 10th at 4:00pm PDT 

social worker Q&A / resource sharing / supportive community

RSVP for a Zoom link: animationisfamily@gmail.com

Support for current and future caregivers:

Join us for a webinar:

ARE YOU LOSING SLEEP OVER A LOVED ONE?

YOU MIGHT BE A CAREGIVER.

July 29, 2020

7:00 - 9:00pm

Presented by 

Motion Picture & Television Fund

and hosted by

The Animation Guild's Family And Membership Committee

RSVP:

tiny.cc/caregiverseminar

Meet Silvana Arzeno Toledo - THIS Saturday via Zoom

Meet our SPECIAL GUEST 

Silvana Arzeno Toledo

EVP of Global Partnerships 

at WRK/360

Saturday, July 11, 2020
10:00 am - 11:00 am

Silvana will be joining our FAM Committee meeting to answer your child care questions and provide support for work/life balance during COVID and beyond.

Read more about Silvana and WRK/360 here:
https://wrk360.com/about/

RSVP for a Zoom link: animationisfamily@gmail.com

TWO more weeks for Paid Family Leave starting July 1st

ATTN Californians:

Paid Family Leave 

is extending by TWO WEEKS

starting July 1, 2020!

Parents and caregivers may take up to eight weeks of partially paid leave to bond with a new baby, adopted or fostered child, or to care for a seriously ill relative or domestic partner of any age. 

Looks like we're taking baby steps (pun intended) toward better supporting our working families. Find more information for parents and caregivers here!

For a quick confirmation that you're contributing to California State Disability Insurance, check your paystub for the CASDI contribution. If you're self-employed and are not contributing to CASDI, you may consider contributing to Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC). Find more information here.

FEBRUARY 29th @ The Family Room

This week, we're highlighting
The Family Room!

"The Family Room is dedicated to helping families thrive before, during, and after pregnancy, and in the early years of parenthood. We brought together the best birth, postpartum, and infant and child experts to help you."

Learn more at their open house:

THE FAMILY ROOM * TOLUCA LAKE

FEBRUARY 29th * 9am-1pm

Panel discussions on: 
Picking a preschool, safety first, and baby wearing support;
Donuts with doulas mixer;
Free music classes, and fun kids activities!

Click here for more info!

#familysupport #community #TAGfamily

New Year, New Goals

Welcome to 2020! Now, let's set some goals.

Goal #1: Support our DCCs (Dual Career Couples)

Who are DCCs? 89% of women and 70% of men, Forbes reports. According to the 2019 McKinsey Report: Making It Work, "managing two careers is the norm for most families... Factor in caretaking and most families are juggling a combination of two-day jobs, childcare, and caretaking for elderly family members." 

"[T]o recruit and retain the best talent, businesses need to make their workplaces welcoming for employees in DCCs." 

What can employers do? Businesses can begin with a wholistic approach, by looking at their entire team - including corporate, union, and subcontracted team members. Supportive strategies can be improved in three easy steps:

1. Provide supportive managers
2. Make Leadership Possible
3. Promote a culture that encourages work-life balance

"Through this report, McKinsey is showcasing the need for all companies to begin having this long-overdue conversation across all employees," writes Mary Beth Ferrante for ForbesWomen. "Whether couples both need to work or choose to work is irrelevant. We need to provide solutions that support all DCCs in their pursuit of managing multiple careers and family. After all, it is the new normal, and quite frankly it's been this way for a while now."

We agree. And, we're eager to support our DCCs! The Animation Guild's Family And Membership (FAM) Committee offers family-friendly opportunities for members to socialize, network, and learn. Please join us in 2020! For information about upcoming events, check the TAG Calendar. To join the FAM Committee email list or to suggest an event idea, email us at: animationisfamily@gmail.com

#TAG #DCC

Panel Co-Moderator: Kristin Donner

Join us for lunch!

Lunch & Learn: Autism Support

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

12:00 noon - 2:00 pm 

at The Animation Guild

Panel Discussion / Q&A / Resources

Introducing panel co-moderator:

Kristin Donner
Designer and Chair, TAG Family And Membership Support Committee 

Kristin Donner believes in the power of a supportive community. She is the co-founder and chair of The Animation Guild's Family And Membership Support Committee. In 2018, she successfully advocated for the Guild's first parental leave policy, and in 2019 she initiated two resolutions to explore more inclusive health care, which were unanimously supported by the delegates at IATSE's District 2 Convention.

Kristin's portfolio includes visual development for 2D animation projects at Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Warner Bros, and Cartoon Network, as well as illustrations for the Seyitömer Archaeological Excavation. Kristin holds a BFA in Entertainment Art/Animation, and an MFA in Illustration. In her free time, Kristin enjoys playing with her nephews and relaxing in the California sun with her pet desert tortoises.

animationisfamily@gmail.com

www.animationisfamily.blogspot.com

Meet Kristin and all our panelists on the 23rd!

RSVP@tag839.org

New California Bill Supports Mothers of All Races

This week we highlight California

for a New Bill

to Save Mothers from Bias-Related Deaths

It's scary to become a mom in the U.S. We have the highest maternity mortality rate among all developed countries. And black mothers are three to four times more likely to perish here than their white counterparts. Bias, it seems, is literally killing our nation's mothers. 

This week, California took a step toward saving these precious lives. Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill No. 464, requiring "implicit bias training for all health care providers working in perinatal services."

Finally. This is what progress looks like.

For more information on SB 464, and your rights provided in the California Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act, visit the California Legislature website.

#SB464

Childcare: Modern Solutions for Modern Families

🎈🍭 Happy Memorial Day Weekend! 🍔🍻

Long weekends and holidays like this one are often celebrated as family fun-days. But what happens when the kids are out of school, daycare is closed, and mom and dad still have to work? We've got you covered with 10 Out-of-the-Box Childcare Options, for holidays or everyday, that may help your modern family thrive.

#holiday #childcare #work #family #tag

SAVE THE DATE: April 9th

What to Expect When You're Expecting

in Animation

A Lunch & Learn Presentation

at

The Animation Guild

Panelists:

Teri Cusumano - Animation Mom

Neil Graf - Animation Dad

Silvana Toledo - Childcare Specialist

Kristin Donner - Family Leave Advocate

Join us for:

FREE lunch, panel discussion, PowerPoint presentation, Q&A
Raffle of family-friendly services and swag
provided by La La Land Indoor Playground and FIT4MOM

Open to:

Guild members

RSVP:
rsvp@tag839.org

#lunchandlearn #TAG #panel #expecting #familyleave #parent

Family Leave - What You Need to Know

For the first time ever,

The Animation Guild's Agreement 

with the AMPTP 

includes Parental Leave. 

Why is this significant? Parental Leave Article 27 establishes gender equality -- all qualifying parents receive equal leave time. Our Parental Leave policy acknowledges that parents are valuable members of our workforce -- leave is job-protected. 

Why do we need Family Leave in our contract? Many Guild members may not qualify for state or federal family leave protection when they need it most. Seasonal, intermittent, or freelance work, self-employment, or employment in a small production company may make it difficult to qualify. Article 27 provides parental leave to all members working under Personal Service Contracts which guarantee 26 weeks of employment. This policy may protect members who would otherwise not qualify for leave. While Article 27 does not currently apply to all Guild members, it's a start. 

Nearly every worker in every studio is a member of a family. Over the course of your career, you may need to take family leave yourself or work alongside someone who does. Family leave helps maintain a strong workforce, healthy families, and a healthy nation. The Family & Personal Leave Subcommittee continues our efforts to protect and support all our industry families through contract negotiation and advocacy.

For a breakdown of available family leave protections, check out this month's article titled Family Leave - What You Need to Know, on The Animation Guild website.

#familyleave #TAG #animationisfamily #parentalleave #article27 #agreement #AMPTP #negotiation

California's New Governor Prioritizes Family Leave

Governor Newsom has just proposed the longest family leave in the nation.

And, it's about time! 

Equality
Not only does Governor Newsom's proposal expand existing leave for dads, it also incorporates benefits for non-traditional families. Under this plan, each parent/caregiver would be entitled to three months of paid leave, for a combined total of six months. This is an improvement of current policy, which restricts the majority of leave - and childcare responsibilities - to birth moms. When men [and secondary parents] also have - and take - family leave, gender equality grows both at home and in the workplace. This is good news for children, parents, and employers alike.

Health
Public health and economic research shows that providing up to six months of paid parental leave—the norm in most developed countries—leads to positive health and educational outcomes for children, [and] greater economic security for parents...reports Newsweek. Countries incorporating longer leave policies have already shown they are paying dividends far into the future.

Support
While California's current Paid Family Leave benefits are employee-funded, many employers are already pitching in additional resources - and Americans support that. Approximately 80% of Democrats AND Republicans are already in favor of employer-funded paid leave. Working Mother's 2018 list of the 100 Best Companies shows what's possible: an average of 11 fully paid parental leave weeks, back-up childcare, flexible work arrangements, and fertility/surrogacy support.

Happiness
Expanding paid leave should bring a smile to everyone's face. After studying happiness levels in 22 countries, sociologists found the biggest happiness predictor to be the presence of family policies making it less stressful and less costly [to] combine childrearing with paid work. And such policies seemed to increase the happiness level of childless individuals as well.

Family Leave is a win for everyone.

Tell Governor Newsom you support his proposal.

For more stats in support of family leave, check out this presentation created by TAG's own Family Leave Subcommittee.

#newsom #familyleave #california #animationisfamily

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL: Co-Working & Childcare Spaces

Hey Employers, Event Organizers & Parents:

YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL.

Co-Working spaces provide focused work time for parents,

and provide engaging play, learning,
and care for children. 

THE RESULT: 

A productive, healthy, and diverse workforce,

not to mention a more happy and inclusive society.

BRICK AND MORTAR CO-WORK/CHILDCARE:

Wiggle & Work
 

POP-UP CHILDCARE FOR OFFICES, EVENTS & CONFERENCES: 
Collab & Play

#cowork #animationisfamily #collabandplay #wiggleandwork

Kids Don't Damage Women's Careers - Men Do

Medium author, Jessica Valenti takes a close look at new statistics and comes to a conclusion some working moms might have predicted:

kids don't damage women's careers - men do.

In her recent article, subtitled Stop blaming motherhood for a problem created by fathers, Valenti presents that [s]tudies from 2017 led some analysts to come to the conclusion that the wage gap was almost entirely attributable to motherhood. Men, on the other hand, tend to see more money once they have children.

Studies also show that fathers continue to have significantly more leisure time than mothers and that mothers use their off time to do chores and child care while fathers use time off for hobbies and relaxing. This, too, is about careers: We know that people who have more leisure time and time for creative activities tend to perform better at work.

The real problem, Valenti asserts, is...that there’s no chance of equality at work while there’s inequality at home.

If workplace equality is our goal, what are our next steps? The TAG Family Leave Subcommittee proposes this plan of action:

1. Support family leave for ALL parents and caregivers at your studio. How does your crew react when a co-worker requests leave? If it isn't positive, help brainstorm how to fix that. Contact your shop steward for support.
2. Support your studio in maintaining quality nursing room facilities for working moms. Does your studio have a nursing room? Have you noticed moms forced to use bathrooms as lactation accommodations? Point this out to your studio's HR dept. or talk with your shop steward. The Animation Guild will work with your studio to establish a safe and healthy nursing room option.
3. Support equal opportunity caregiving. Does your studio offer diaper changing stations in men's, women's, and gender neutral bathrooms? If not, submit a request or talk with your shop steward about possible improvements.

Contact The Animation Guild office for a list of shop stewards or to request support.

Together, we can achieve workplace equality. 

#animationisfamily

FREE Babysitting Swaps through Wana!

This week we're highlighting

WANA FAMILY NETWORK.

Finding childcare in Los Angeles can be a challenge! No one knows this better than entertainment industry families - so we're particularly excited to highlight a babysitting solution created by an industry mom right here in LA: Wana Family Network.

Through Wana, you can swap babysitting time with other families in your neighborhood. Convenient, community-building, friendly, and free...this could be the babysitting solution you've been waiting for.

"You play! They play! 

Trade babysitting with families in your neighborhood."

California neighborhoods included so far...

• Irvine
• LA Crescenta Valley
• LA Eastside
• LA South Bay
• LA Westside

Don't see your neighborhood? Start your own Wana Family Playgroup!

#animationisfamily #babysitting