History & Impact
Incorporated on August 17, 1973, CWEALF is one of the oldest women's rights organizations in the country. Launched in the wake of a successful lobbying effort that resulted in the passage of Connecticut's Equal Credit Act, it was originally a women's rights law firm staffed by attorneys who saw a need for feminist lobbying and lawyering.
During its first decade, CWEALF focused on litigation, participating in cases involving equal pay, equal credit, and sex discrimination. CWEALF's first case challenged the denial of Medicaid funding for abortions. Other early litigation included Title IX cases, equal pay cases for women athletic coaches, cases challenging the restrictive membership policies of the Eagle Scouts and a private men's club in Stamford, Connecticut. CWEALF was involved in cases seeking compensation based on the monetary value of housework for a housewife injured in a grocery store; challenging a utility company's refusal to extend credit to women separated from their husbands; opposing minimum-height requirements for police officers; and questioning the denial of employment to a woman who applied to be a park ranger.
As time went by, however, the number of requests for assistance far exceeded CWEALF's capacity to respond. By 1980, CWEALF had received thousands of requests from women in need of legal assistance. CWEALF's early staff realized there was no way they could litigate all those individual cases, but they still wanted to educate individual women about their legal rights.
CWEALF began a gradual restructuring by expanding our information, referral, and educational outreach services. In 1978, the first educational booklets, Maternity Leave, Rape and the Law were published. The following year Employment Discrimination and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, were published; which remain two of the most requested publications. CWEALF also published pamphlets such as Title IX and Women and Credit and distributed them at speaking engagements, women's centers, schools, banks, and police stations.
CWEALF developed an information and referral service that remains one of the most important in Connecticut. Even though CWEALF could not provide legal representation to every woman who called, the agency could provide counseling and information on their rights. CWEALF wanted women to know they have been heard, that they are not alone in suffering discrimination or brutality, and that there is help. CWEALF also began to maintain a list of referral attorneys who were committed to helping CWEALF's clients get their legal needs met at a cost they can afford.
The early activities of CWEALF and those which are conducted today are remarkably similar in nature. While particular circumstances have varied, our programs have remained consistent because our mission has never wavered. The problems are more subtle and often more insidious than in 1973, but they require the same dedication and commitment to making Connecticut a more equitable place for women, girls and low-income families.
Today CWEALF educates women about the laws that our founders helped to establish. CWEALF is here to ensure that Connecticut maintains the spirit and meets the requirements of the laws that protect, and provide for, women's equality.
Timeline of Achievements
Early 1970s | Mid 1970s | Late 1970s | Early 1980s | Mid 1980s | Late 1980s
Early 1990s | Mid 1990s | Late 1990s | Early 2000s | Mid 2000s | Late 2000s
1973
CWEALF was founded in New Haven, CT. Originally a women's rights law firm staffed by attorneys, CWEALF soon begins providing information, referrals and educational outreach, all in response to women who called needing assistance.
Mid 1970s
During the first decade, CWEALF focused on litigation. Participating in cases involving equal pay, equal credit, sex discrimination, and Title IX, CWEALF begins to receive more requests for help than it can respond to.
Late 1970s
The Information and Referral Service (I&R) was formed. Even when CWEALF staff could not provide legal representation to every woman who called, we could provide counseling and information on their rights.
The first of CWEALF's educational booklets were published - Maternity Leave and Rape and the Law.
A vocational education proposal to counsel and recruit 7th and 8th grade girls into courses leading to non-traditional occupations was developed and implemented. High school newspapers were utilized to inform girls of their rights and opportunities.
CWEALF began keeping a list of attorneys to whom individual cases can be referred.
Early 1980s
CWEALF published a resource guide called Rights of Pregnant Workers in response to the overwhelming request for help by pregnant women who were concerned about their legal rights in the workplace. This resource guide was widely distributed throughout the state.
CWEALF's role in community education was expanded. CWEALF signed a contract with the University of Connecticut to provide sexual harassment training and supervise the Rape Education Program.
CWEALF had filed an amicus brief in the Wroblenski v. Lexington Gardens case seven years earlier in which Lexington Gardens was accused of sex discrimination in hiring after they asked about the medical history of Judith Wroblenski's reproductive system and she refused to answer. The case concluded in Ms. Wroblenski's favor.
Substantial victories were won that had been on CWEALF's docket for several years including Jones v. Electric Boat - a discrimination case. In addition, a partial moratorium was placed on accepting more litigation until the four-year backlog could be cleared.
CWEALF's sexual harassment poster, "Sexual Harassment Is Not A Compliment," received national attention in Ms. Magazine and On Campus with Women.
CWEALF published Women, Work and Sex Discrimination. This booklet included a discussion of women and work, a summary of federal and state laws, and a step-by-step description of women's rights in the workplace from hiring to firing.
Mid 1980s
CWEALF and the Meriden YWCA co-sponsored a series of workshops - Understanding Your Divorce - which provided a basic introduction to the laws and procedures governing divorce and separation which were conducted by volunteer attorneys.
CWEALF joined with the Connecticut Bar Association to present a conference on the legal rights of lesbians and gay men.
Late 1980s
CWEALF worked with the American Association of Retired Persons and the UConn Cooperative Extension Program to offer workshops for retired people in the Hartford area.
CWEALF expanded the community education program by translating many of our educational materials into Spanish.
CWEALF began offering classes and produced a videotape about family law for Spanish-speaking women in an effort to reach out to groups serving Latina women and their families.
CWEALF produced informational videotapes such as Divorce in Connecticut, providing a visual explanation of the divorce process.
CWEALF began to form many lasting relationships with other organizations through coalition work. CWEALF worked with the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) and the National Organization for Women (NOW), among many others, to advance the rights of women.
CWEALF began offering a variety of workshops to address the concerns of the women seeking assistance. Topics included: nontraditional occupations for women, gender bias in the classroom, sexual harassment and homophobia in schools, sexual orientation and the law, legal rights of older women, legal issues affecting disabled women, child support, and equity in school athletic programs.
Early 1990s
CWEALF collaborated with the PCSW and the Institute for Social Inquiry at the University of Hartford College for Women to conduct the study, Women and Children Beware: The Economic Consequences of Divorce. Policy makers have relied upon this study as compelling evidence that divorce disproportionately impoverishes women.
CWEALF negotiated with the CT Department of Corrections to compel the state to make substance abuse treatment available to women in prison, and subsequently documented that substance abuse treatment services were provided to men in prison while no such services were offered to women.
Connecticut enacted a law requiring employers with more than 50 employees to train all supervisors on how to prevent and respond to sexual harassment. CWEALF became one of the state's major in-service training providers on the topic of sexual harassment.
CWEALF sponsored a "Sexual Harassment Call-In Week." Volunteers conducted telephone interviews with women who called to tell their painful stories about being sexually harassed on the job as far back as 25 years ago. CWEALF later issued a brief report summarizing the results.
CWEALF published "Building Their Future: Girls in Technology Education in Connecticut", written by Suzanne Silverman and Alice Pritchard. This was one of the primary reports on this subject area and is still cited in current research on girls and technology and the digital divide.
Mid 1990s
CWEALF filed an amicus brief in United States and the State of Connecticut v. Scott et al., in which a Federal District court upheld the constitutionality of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.
CWEALF organized a conference, Empowering Students to End Sexual Harassment, for students, teachers and administrators.
CWEALF helped organize a statewide conference for student-athletes and coaches entitled Advancing Young Women in Sports: Playing, Coaching and Officiating. UConn basketball players Rebecca Lobo and Jennifer Rizzotti describe women's expanding opportunities in coaching and officiating to hundreds of high school student athletes.
Late 1990s
CWEALF conducted a study that investigates compliance with Title IX in Connecticut's high school sports programs and issues a report that focuses statewide attention on the issue.
CWEALF's Girls' Athletic Equity Project provided trainings and technical assistance to parents, students and school districts. The workshops educated participants about the laws, which ensure girls' equal opportunity in athletic programs and about the social, personal and professional benefits of playing sports.
CWEALF was a leader in a coalition of women's organizations successfully opposing discriminatory health care practices at a proposed health care center in Avon. This center would have allowed men access to reproductive health services but restricted women's access to comparable services.
CWEALF sponsored a "Welfare Reform Call-In Week." The purpose was to offer women an opportunity to share their experiences under the Jobs First program, and to show that there was more to the story about welfare reform than had been reported in the news. Over 90 people called, after which we shared our findings with the Department of Social Services, community-based organizations, and education and job training programs to assist them in training and employing welfare recipients. In addition, CWEALF shared the report with key legislators to inform them as they consider the impact of welfare reform in the next legislative session.
For the first time ever, women were able to reach CWEALF's Information & Referral service toll-free from anywhere in the state.
Early 2000s
CWEALF began the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Hate Crimes Project. CWEALF developed a new Hate Crimes Project slogan: "Don't Let Hate Silence You!" The project helped CWEALF reach out to LGBT victims of hate crimes and provided victims with information about their legal rights, attorney referrals, and advocacy through legal and social service systems.
CWEALF worked to pass a co-parent adoption bill that allows a second adult, who shares parental responsibility for a child with a legal parent but is not married to him/her, to adopt when the Probate Court determines that such adoption is in the best interest of the child. The passing of this law allowed same-sex couples who were raising a child together, but were not legally allowed to marry, the option to have the second parent legally adopt the child.
CWEALF intervened in two cases before the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) affecting LGBT people. The first case resulted in the ability for transgender people to file a discrimination case under sex-discrimination through the CHRO. The second case resulted in the removal of the Boy Scouts from the state employee charitable campaign because they discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.
CWEALF advocated for the passage of the bill, An Act Concerning Intimidation Based on Bigotry and Bias. This law increases the penalty for intimidation based on bigotry or bias to a class C felony, establishes a diversion program for persons charged with the commission of a hate crime, requires training of police officers concerning hate crime laws, and increases enforcement and public awareness of hate crime laws.
CWEALF published Re-Examining History: Searching for Inclusion in Connecticut Textbooks. The report analyzed history textbooks used in Connecticut's comprehensive high schools to determine whether school districts were in compliance with Connecticut law. The report found that the majority of schools were not utilizing materials that fairly represented the contributions of women to American history.
CWEALF was one of the first contact points for Nicole Ann Thibodeau in 1998 when she was terminated from her job during the last trimester of pregnancy. In Thibodeau v. Design Group One Architects, LLC, the Appellate Court ruled that employers with fewer than three employees could still be sued for sex discrimination. Unfortunately, the State Supreme Court reversed this ruling in 2002. This means that employees at small companies can be discriminated against by their employers without legal recourse.
CWEALF's retained counsel, Ruth Pulda, intervened in the Office for Health Care Access case on the purchase of Sharon Hospital by a private company. CWEALF and the Coalition for Choice were granted intervener status in the case. The Coalition was allowed to question the company's lawyers and executives about their proposed services for women. Through this intervention and the leadership of the Attorney General, the sale of the hospital was contingent on the provision of reproductive health care for patients. This was the first case of its kind in Connecticut and an important victory for the Pro-Choice movement.
CWEALF worked to pass the Educational Support Order bill. This bill allows the court to order divorcing parents and non-custodial parents, subject to paternity orders, to provide educational support for their children who enroll in accredited college or vocational programs after high school.
CWEALF begins planning and hosting Girls & Tech Expos. The Expos are design to introduce 7th grade girls to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through hands-on activities and are held in partnership with colleges across the state.
Mid 2000s
Thanks in large part to CWEALF's work coordinating the Hate Crime Network, the Connecticut Legislature expanded hate crimes laws to include gender identity or expression and disability.
CWEALF co-founds the Anti-Discrimination Coalition (ADC), in partnership with the TransAdvocacy Coalition. The ADC is dedicated to expanding Connecticut's non-discrimination laws to include gender identity or expression.
CWEALF facilitated the Career Ladders Initiative which promoted and developed model programs that supported women's professional advancement.
CWEALF conducted a community needs assessment and expanded the Legal Education Program to begin offering legal Information & Referral (I & R) services in-person through existing community-based organizations. This development greatly improved the accessibility of CWEALF's I & R services, especially for Latino and Spanish-speaking clients.
CWEALF led the Allied Health Workforce Policy Board after lobbying for its creation at the State Capitol. The Board reported annually to the Connecticut Legislature on the status of current initiatives in the allied health fields and recommended improvements.
CWEALF founds the Campaign for a Working Connecticut. The Campaign is a coalition of non-profit, union, business, advocacy groups and education leaders dedicated to enhancing the state's economic competitiveness through the development of sustainable and effective workforce solutions that increase workers' skills and advance families to self-sufficiency.
CWEALF led the Family Law Coalition in a successful effort to fight presumptive joint custody legislation. CWEALF argued that each family's situation and circumstances are unique and should be considered in the process of determining custody arrangements.
Late 2000s
CWEALF publishes VERTEC Post-Perkins III: Nine Years of Study and Intervention. The study examines the success of integrating gender non-traditional students in career and technical education programs at Connecticut high schools. The report details that while a few programs, such those in business, have made advances in gender equity, the vast majority of programs, such as those in manufacturing and human services remain sharply divided along gender lines.
CWEALF completes an evaluation of the CT Career Choices (CCC) program which develops high school students' interest and skills in technology. By studying the effectiveness of blended learning and the use of CCC curricula, CWEALF provided an evaluation of the strengths and challenges of the curricula and made recommendations on how to boost teaching and learning.
CWEALF, in collaboration with the Coalition for Choice, lead the effort to pass legislation mandating that emergency rooms must offer emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.
By the end of 2009, CWEALF has reached more than 2000 girls through its Girls & Tech Expos. In the wake of the program's growing success, CWEALF launches G2O (Generating Girls' Opportunities). G2O includes STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Expos, but is also a broader effort to expand educational opportunities for girls across the state.
CWEALF partnered with the Connecticut Community College system to provide onsite Information & Referral services as part of an effort to create a holistic approach to improving student retention rates in the allied health fields.
CWEALF completes its evaluation of the Jobs First program, making recommendations on how to improve service delivery. As part of this process, CWEALF convened a conference with education and training providers to share best practices.
