WBASNY Presents

Equal Rights Amendment at the State and Federal Levels CLE

First proposed almost a century ago and passed by Congress in 1972, the Federal constitutional amendment — whose main clause reads, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” — has sweeping implications. For women, it would bolster pay equity, domestic violence laws and pregnancy discrimination protections, among many other things. It could also affect men, such as by guaranteeing paid paternity leave equal to maternity leave. Panelists will discuss the implications and history of the ERA, including legal challenges opposing a Federal constitutional change; the current political climate and its impact on ratification; and the current legislative efforts in New York to pass a state constitutional amendment to enshrine protections against gender discrimination.

Moderator: Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin

Panelists: Katharine Bodde, Senior Policy Counsel, NYCLU
Maria T. Vullo, Co-Founder and Chair, ERA Coalition

Sponsored by Proskauer Pro-Bono Program