Speeches by Secretary Elaine L. Chao

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Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
Hyatt Regency Houston
Houston, Texas
June 27, 2002

Thank you, Jean, for those kind words.

I also want to thank Susan Phillips-Bari, who invited me to speak here today… she is a tireless advocate and leader for women and women business owners. The Women’s Enterprise National Council is fortunate to have her at its helm.

The 120 firms that support Susan’s organization should also be commended for their efforts to reach out to women-owned businesses through events like this.

And most importantly I want to congratulate all of today’s award winners. I am delighted to be with all of you today.

It’s always a thrill for me to speak to a group of businesswomen. Celebrating the enormous contributions that women entrepreneurs are making to this country is really one of my favorite things to do, as secretary of labor.

You are not only on the front lines of a silent—but very powerful—revolution for American women, you are on the front lines of meeting the enormous challenges of the 21^st Century workforce.

Your revolution can be shown in the power of your numbers. 6.2 million women-owned businesses provide employment for 9.2 million Americans. You are growing at twice the rate of all businesses… and the resulting job creation is enabling other women to achieve economic independence. Here in Houston alone, women-owned firms are employing well over half a million people!

You are one of the key reasons our country is recovering from recession.

I want to commend you for your role—not just as business owners, but specifically as women business owners—in getting the American economic engine moving again.

You do this in the face of so many day-to-day challenges. And I know that no one knows better than you the challenges that workers face during this unique time.

You know better than anyone – as employers and as women—how difficult it is for 21^st Century workers to balance work and family.

You know better than anyone how the gap between worker skills and 21^st Century jobs is threatening our future productivity and, therefore, our economy.

And you know better than anyone how difficult it is to attract and retain quality employees… especially when putting together an attractive benefits package means facing double-digit increases in health-insurance costs.

You are meeting and tackling these challenges, every day, while simultaneously creating thousands of jobs!

It is an exciting and successful time for women entrepreneurs.

But I don’t want to imply that you live on easy street by any means.

Because in addition to being on the front-lines of meeting those challenges of the 21^st Century Workforce—the issues of family-and-work balance, finding qualified employees, retaining them, and making sure their skills are commensurate with the jobs in your business—in addition to all of that, you are also concerned about taxes, regulations, access to capital … and I know that government contracts are a particular area of interest and concern for the people in this room.

These worries, these challenges… they are also realities that you live with every day. This administration knows it. We’re listening to you. And we’re dedicated to addressing your concerns.

For example, as President George W. Bush said at the Department of Labor’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit in March—a meeting that I know many of you attended—this administration is going to make sure that American entrepreneurs have access to government contracting.

We understand that government agencies have a tendency to only award massive contracts with complicated requirements, and that those contracts often end up going to the same group of large corporate bidders, year after year. In Washington, D.C., they call it “bundling.” The system, and its habits, end up excluding smaller, independent businesses like yours.

That’s why the president issued an Executive Order to compete government services and contracts.

It’s why we are looking to level the playing field by breaking down large federal contracts whenever possible. Smaller business owners must have a fair shot at competing for federal contracts!

As secretary of labor, I share your experience of being on the front-lines, addressing those challenges that have come with the 21^st Century Workplace and Workforce. Like you, I want to find the best ways to help workers balance work and family. I want to close the skills gap so that we can better match workers to job openings.

I also appreciate the daily challenges of being a business owner. And that sometimes you feel that government can get in the way of your success and your ability to create jobs.

That’s why I am working with my colleagues at the Department of Labor to ensure that American workers are protected—by taking a holistic approach. I want to work with you to make safer workplaces for everyone.

The Department of Labor is doing this by increasing our Compliance Assistance efforts. We are telling all of our agencies to offer more help and information to employers who really want to comply, but aren’t sure how. We all want a safe, healthy, fair workplace for all employees. And helping employers, employees will help achieve that ultimate goal.

Because I strongly believe that we all must work together to make worker protections work.

That’s why there is a new culture of responsibility being built at the Department of Labor—a responsibility for us to help you understand our exhaustive list of rules and regulations.

Because before any one can comply with regulations, these rules and regulations have got to be communicated clearly and understood. And explaining regulations which sometimes conflict—and explaining them clearly—has not been one of the Department’s strengths.

And workers can only benefit when everyone understands what is required.

The idea that the government ought to provide business with the knowledge and tools to help people comply with its regulations… the idea that this responsibility, these actions, should be a top priority of the Department of Labor… this is a hugely novel idea! And it’s an idea whose time has come.

Our existing enforcement practices will stay—and they’ll be more effective because they will be targeted on a small percentage of “bad actors.”

But we’re also going to bring a transparency to the regulatory jungle that is unprecedented in the federal government… because that’s the only way to make America’s workplace safer and make Worker Protections Work.

We’ve developed compliance materials in plain English. We’ve also developed on-line programs that answer your questions and direct you to information that is easy to understand.

Because when you as employers understand, your employees and workers will benefit.

I am also creating a new, permanent, senior position: a Director of Compliance Assistance. This person’s job will be making sure that all of the Department’s agencies are doing all they can to help employers comply with our regulations… and therefore foster safer workplaces and protect workers.

I’ve also established a toll-free help line—1-866-4-USA-DOL—that I encourage you to call. Our website is www.dol.gov. And you can be confident that the people who answer these phones are being paid to help you.

Your phone call will not be treated as a “tip” for enforcement. You will not be fined for asking a question. The phones do not have“caller I.D.” features.

Again, this Administration’s overarching goal is one that everyone in this room shares: to promote a safer workplace and protect employees.

The difference is that, now, the federal government will also share the responsibility for that with you.

At the Department of Labor, we want to assist you, as business owners, to be in compliance with government regulations… because being in compliance means you and your employees are protected.

It’s a win-win situation… one that we are determined to achieve not only while this administration is in office but as a permanent tradition at the Department of Labor.

As we strive to make worker protections work—every day, for every American—the ideas that you have as business owners, as leaders, and as women… are very important to us.

At the Department of Labor we know that, because of your leadership, so many American workers are already being treated better than ever. Because as women you bring a lot of high-touch to our new high-tech world. Research has shown that women do in fact have a higher ability to collaborate with others and nurture those around them. In the workplace that translates to more teamwork and better benefits for employees.

We at the Labor Department really do value your ideas. That’s why we sponsored the Women’s Entrepreneurship Summit in March, and why we will continue to host similar meetings across the country.

Our desire to maintain continued communication with you is why the Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau has started an e-news letter for working women… the current issue of which is about women business owners. I hope all of you consider signing up to receive that newsletter by visiting our website at www.dol.gov, then clicking on our Women’s Bureau home page. It’s free.

In closing, I want to say once again how vital your businesses are to the viability of the American economy.

Because of you, your daughters and other young girls are now inheriting businesses, wealth, and financial independence from their mothers.

What a wonderful phenomenon!

Thanks so much for having me. Thank you for keeping our economy strong, and for providing hope and opportunity and jobs to so many in our country.

Please don’t be afraid to call us. We’re listening.

May God bless you and May God Bless America.

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