Women's fashion: how to build a professional work wardrobe

You’ve either landed a new job in the office world, or you’re planning on doing so soon. Either way, you’re trying to beef up your wardrobe that consisted of some jeans and t-shirts, maybe a few clubbing outfits and a dress for special occasions to include attire suitable for the office world. Luckily, the definitions of professional clothing for women have gone through some changes in the past decades: no longer are high heels and pantyhose a necessity, just a possibility.

A good place to start is at the bottom, working your way up. As such, one of the most important parts of any outfit is a good pair of shoes (and this doesn’t change all because you expect to find yourself behind a desk for a good portion of the day). In all likelihood, as an entry level office worker, you’ll be required to make copies, assist walk-ins and maybe perform a few runner duties – otherwise known as getting up, moving around and sitting down throughout the day. You need a pair of shoes that will look nice, but won’t have you desperately seeking out a foot massage at the end of the day.

If you’re not used to heels and don’t feel any particular desire to start wearing them, don’t worry. A simple, flat pair of shoes will do. Regardless of heels or flats, unless you’re vegan or a form of vegetarian that is opposed to wearing animal products, you want to go with a pair of shoes whose upper is made of leather. Leather breathes a lot better than manmade materials and, therefore, helps keep your feet from feeling too cramped in their professional confines.

As for the actual aesthetics of your shoes, there are a few things to watch out for. Suede has a lovely look and feel, but it gets dirty far faster than a pair with a bit of shine to them. As well, unless your personality calls out for bright yellows and pinks when buying shoes, your best bet is to go with something dark. If nothing else, every woman should have a pair of professional, comfortable, black shoes somewhere in their closet. Not only do black shoes go with most every outfit, they take a lot longer to get noticeably dirty.

Another important note about shoes is what to wear with them. You don’t want to be caught walking into your new office with a pair of beautiful dress shoes over white, fluffy exercise socks. Not only would that be a tight fit, but it would look rather silly. However, unless your employer is more liberal or less observant than most, you don’t want to wear your shoes over bare feet. Other than dealing with the struggle of getting on a pair of pantyhose in the morning, you can try nylon knee-highs or thin cotton socks. As with the shoes, darker is generally better. If the darker colors don’t agree with you, choosing nylons that are flesh colored is a safe bet. It’s still noticeable that you’re wearing something, but not so noticeable that you might find yourself not matching the rest of your outfit.

With a few pairs of shoes back home in your closet, your next step is to find some bottoms for your outfit. Again, you don’t want to limit yourself to anything that is going to make normal office duties uncomfortable or, at worst, embarrassing. For that reason, unless you’re used to wearing skirts that go above your knee, wait until you’re used to your office before you show up wearing a miniskirt. For that matter, if you’re a recovering tomboy, don’t even think about skirts at all until you’re willing to wear ones in a more casual setting. While office attire is generally changed out of as soon as a person gets home, you don’t want to be so uncomfortable that you want to change out of it during your lunch hour.

Going back to positive points of the changing standards in professional attire, the best way to beef up your professional wardrobe is to buy some slacks. Not just one pair of slacks, but several. Good color choices include black, navy, pinstriped and, if your office is casual enough for it, khaki. Again, these choices might not be the best if your heart cries out for fuchsia and teal and mauve. However, they are easy to find and even easier to play mix and match with once you’ve gotten the appropriate tops. One thing to pay attention to when buying slacks is how they fit. While wearing pants tight enough that you can see your panty lines might be a good idea when you go clubbing, doing the same at work may line you up for a quick chat with your boss about appropriate attire.

Well, you’ve got your shoes and you’ve got your slacks, now you just need some tops. This is where you’ve got the most leeway in your outfit. Not only is there a wide array of blouses and sweaters that can be considered professional, their exact style and color are more varied and better suited to meet your own personal look. Of course, on both the upside and the downside is the fact that they’re likely to be the first and last thing a person sees when speaking to you. In general, one addresses the top portion of a person rather than the bottom and, therefore, is more likely to remember the pattern on your blouse rather than the color of your slacks or the style of your shoes. Therefore, if your blouse isn’t quite appropriate, it’ll be more likely to cause a stir than if you snuck in wearing tennis shoes.

A few things to look out for while shopping for blouses: as with your slacks, be careful to notice how tight your top is – if you can see the outline of your bra with it on, it’s probably too tight; if your top is so low cut that you’re worried someone might be able to tell the color of your bra if you move in a particular way, it’s probably cut too low; sleeveless tops may or may not be acceptable in your office, double check before you show up to work in one; colored blouses are easier to clean than white ones since they’re less likely to change colors in the wash if you accidentally drop in a red sock.

At this point, with three to four pairs of slacks, about double that in blouses and a couple of pairs of shoes, you have the makings of an excellent professional wardrobe. Once you get better used to the office world, you may end up expanding your choices to include suits and skirts and pantyhose. However, until then, the above hints and tips can at least get you through until your first full paycheck.

As a final note, make sure you look on the tags of anything and everything that you’re going to buy. Unless you plan on spending a large portion of your pay check at the dry cleaners, stay away from pieces that are marked as being “dry clean only” – even items that say they need to be hand washed can usually be done in a washing machine if it includes a delicates cycle.

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Heavy Equipment Training for Women

The opportunities for women in the construction field are more abundant than ever, and those entering the career path of heavy equipment operator will find that the job description has a lot to offer both genders. Heavy equipment training for women has sparked a great amount of interest as women continue to break through the concrete ceiling, and further extinguish the part that gender roles play in the construction world.

Heavy Equipment Training for Women

http://www.sxc.hu/index.phtml

Identification

Heavy equipment can be clarified as machinery that is used to move and relocate oversize building materials, and pieces of earth, on a construction site. Sometimes referred to as "earth movers," these monstrous machines should only be operated by skilled workers. Bulldozers, dump trucks, backhoes and motor graders are just some of the pieces of heavy equipment that a woman may learn to operate while in training.

Time Frame

Heavy equipment training classes consist of the same amount of learning time, whether you are a man or a woman. Most classes last three weeks depending on the level of certification that is sought. Each level consists of classroom education and construction site hands on training, and often includes OSHA training modules as well as, written testing. Some companies do offer apprenticeship programs that involve training in a wide variety of heavy machinery. These apprenticeship programs usually last three years and also consist of class time and paid, on site training.

Considerations

Women who are considering a career as a heavy equipment operator must be in good physical health. It is also necessary to have a good sense of balance, since elevated heights can be involved in the daily work environment and good hand and eye coordination. And because of the stereotypes associated with women working in the construction field; confidence, the willingness to succeed and a sense of humor doesn't hurt. Also, proper safety equipment such as steel-toed boots, insulated clothing and gloves must be worn when necessary.

Benefits

Women who train as heavy equipment operators receive certifications from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), coupled with a commercial driver's license (CDL) that will make them highly qualified and suitable to compete in a job market that was once thought of as only for men.

Potential

As society develops and continues to build bigger and better structures that can adapt to our ever changing lifestyles, the need for heavy equipment operators will also continue to grow. An increasing number of vocational technical schools are beginning to offer training classes in heavy equipment, which accept financial aid and job placement. Specialty heavy equipment training schools can be found through your local department of education and on the World Wide Web.

Misconceptions

The construction site is often thought of as a man's place of work, but women are beginning to show a greater interest in proving that such a misconception is just not true. As a matter of fact, women of all ages are beginning to take advantage of the open doors that construction and the operation of heavy equipment has to offer. Women are not only excelling in heavy equipment classes, but also finding that the machinery is not as difficult to handle as they had once thought. Some women are even beginning to recognize their natural talents for operating large pieces of equipment.

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Married women's employment, gender socialization, and divorce rates

Men and women have been socialized to perform certain gender specific roles. Values pertaining to these gender roles have been entrenched in the American psyche for generations and are difficult to alter. These roles have been changing at a relatively rapid pace, but the values that surround these roles have not been changing at the same rate. Many consequences arise from resistance to these role changes. This imbalance of role and value change have large implications for the future of the stability of the family. The difficulty our society has with accepting these changing roles can cause strain between spouses which can ultimately lead to divorce. The exploration of the effects of married women's employment, gender socialization, and divorce rates are intertwined and can not be discussed without referring to the other.

Divorce is something that has become a dramatically more common event in our society. In fact, "our society has the highest divorce rate in the world" (Macionis, 1995). When we are analyzing our society's propention towards higher divorce rates, by looking at gender soclialization as well as married women's employment as factors in the increasing divorce rates, we can not start the process of analysis without dicussing the structure our society has constructed to support the institution of divorce. Today the possibility of divorce may be considered from the onset of the martial engagement. Further, divorce has been normalized to the extent that there are specialized classes for children of divorced parents, support groups for those who have been or are going through a divorce, and even laws (i.e. no fault divorce laws) that all exist to make the process of divorce easier for all of those involved. The structure our society has created to support the institution of divorce is something that both gender socialization and married women's employment exists within. Further, when linking these two factors to climbing divorce rates this back drop of an environment where divorce is an accepted practice may in fact help to not only give these factors momentum but to participate in the actual creation of them as well. With this all said we can now go on to explore employment of married women and gender socialization as two major correlations with higher divorce rates.

There is a strong correlation between divorce rates and married women's involvement in the work force. "By 1990 according to the government projections, about four in ten marriages were ending in a divorce (for African American about six in ten)(Macionis, 1995). Also "In 1990, just one and five women was in the labor force, the proportion of working women has increased steadily since then. In 1993,....the labor force included...57.9 percent of women" (Macionis, 1995). Married women's increased participation in the work force may have many consequences. Some of the consequences that result form married women working are that there is less time spent at home, less time interacting with family, and changing goals for the future. These consequences may negatively effect the marital relationship and contribute to the increasing divorce rates because some people may be reluctant to adapt their traditional beliefs about the roles they think men and women should perform.

Traditionally the type of labor engaged in by women and men was largely sex determined. There were also limits that existed to how successful a person could be in a job depending on their sex. There were clear lines defining the difference between "men's work" and "women's work". Men and women have been socialized to perform different roles. Women were socialized to work in the domestic sphere and men were socialized to work in the labor sphere. The phrase the domestic sphere is used here to refer to taking care of the house and the family. The phrase the work sphere is used here in refernce to work done outside of the home for wages (Richardson, 1993). Some sociologists have argued that the sex division of labor was necessary for a functional society. Talcott Parson, a famous sociologist, argued that "sex role segregation is a functional necessity for marital stability and even for the viability of society itself" (Parsons & Oppenheimer, 1994). This is not an isolated perspective. Other social scientists shared this view point. Freud, a leading psychoanalyst of the time, concluded that "women have less a sense of justice than men, that they are less ready to submit to the great experiences of life, that they are often influenced by their judgment by feelings of affection and hostility" (Richardson, 1993). These sentiments imply that women are less rational and less equipt to work outside the household than men. Women have been stereotyped as submissive, independent, agressive, and ruled primarily by rationale.

In our society the characteristics that are stereotypically associated with men are deemed more important, while the characteristics that are stereotypically associated with women are not regarded as important. The valuing of these characteristics directly effects what type of roles each sex would perform. Women have been socialized to remain with in the confines of the domestic sphere. The characteristics that were thought to describe women were supposively key to the functioning of the domestic role. This role of domesticity was defined by specific acceptable behavior such as cooking, cleaning, and child care. These characteristics deemed femine were thought to be necessary to run a successful household. For instance, the nurturing qualities were thought to be essential for raising children. On the other hand, men have been socialized to remain with in the confines of the working sphere. Men have bee socialized to be the "breadwinner", the "king of the castle". Thus, working outside the home was associated with characteristics such as agressiveness, dominace, independence, and rational. This split in labor has a direct effect on the stability on the marital relationship. When men worked outside the household, and usually earned all the money coming into the hosuehold, women depended of them for support. This financial dependence helped, in part, to make the occurance of divorce rare because women would have great difficulty supporting themself with out the help of a man (Spitze, 1985).

More recently, traditional gender role assignments have been questioned. Changes in economic conditions, social norms, and in values (such as an emphasis on togetherness has shifted to an emphasis on individuality) have contributed to an increase in married women's involvement in the work force (Elkind, 1994). Also large societal occurences may force women and men to change their roles. During world war II most of the men were off fighting and it became necessary for women to work in order for the economy to remain stable. This was a time when many married women, who would not normally worked, became involved in the labor force. After world war II "married female employment, specially that of young mothers, had burgeoned and the proportion of marriages expected to end in divorce approached fifty percent" (Sptize, 1985). Traditional ideas such as appropriate roles for each sex and how serious it was to disrupt a marraige were challenged. Women's increased involvement in the work force has allotted for more independence for women. It has also caused a great deal of difficulties that are related to the deteriation of the family.

A double standard exists for men and women in the work place. If a man is a dominant and/or demanding boss or employee that may be praised and even expected of him at times. However, if a woman demonstartes those same qualities she may be considered bossy or overbearing. These ideas are shaped by traditional gender stereotypes. So, even if a woman does obtain a postions with in the work force traditional stereotypes still burden her. The idea that men and women are equal in the work force is disproved by the many times women are discredited just because of their sex. For example, if a woman does work she "earns on the average sixty eight percent of what men earn" (Baron & Graziano, 1991). Women may earn less because their work is less valued, as well as because women tend to engage in certain types of work designated as "female occupations" which pay less. It has been shown that women tend to engage in specific types of occupations. "According to the U.S. board of statistics (1994), women engage in a narrow range of occupations, with half of working women holding just two types of work.....administrative support work and service work". Thus, women and work have changed, but there is still more than a trace of traditional beliefs incorporated into the work force structure in regards to women's participation.

These traditional ideas about women working that are still present can directly effect the marital relationship. Many consequences follow from increased involvement of married women in the labor force, but the reason these consequences effect the family in a negative way is because the role of women has changed but traditional ideas about the role of women has not changed at an equally rapid pace. Many men still prefer a traditional marriage in "which the husband is dominant and the wife plays a supportive (subordinate) role as child rearer, housekeeper, and the husband's and family's emotional support" (Zastrow, 1993). Typically, men who have difficulties with their wives working may be men who have been socialized to accept traditionally defined gender roles. Thus, for men, when the roles shift and values do not, their self concept and their self esteem may suffer. Interviews with such men suggest that "their wive's employment served to exacerbate their need for dominance in the home because it was an indication of their failure" (Pyke, 1994). This could certainly resuolt in a power struggle between spouses and could work to destroy a marriage by emphasizing the perceived imbalance between the spouses.

Another instance where the perceived imbalance may cause a problem would be in the area of the household work. Role overload is a probelm working married women encounter partly due to traditional stereotypical views. A number of studies have shown that "husbands of employed wives do almost no more housework than other husbands" (Gaugner & Halxer, 1980). This can be explained by the fact that many men have been socialized to leave the doestic sphere to women. "The amount of time the wife spends away from the household has a disruptive influence on marital relations, given the traditional organizations of household work" (Spitze, 1993). This difference between role and expectancy may further harm the marital relationship by adding stress to it and breaking down the positive interaction and increasing the negative interaction.

Not every consequence of married women's employment that increase the possibility of divorce is a negative one. Women who have been involved in abusive marriages and have found themselves dependent on their husband to support them would certainly benefit from becoming involved in the work force. This could enable women to be more independent by decreasing financial dependence on their husbands. It could also work to increase their self esteem and self concept. Thus, involvement in the work force by women in such a condition may empower them and give them resources, the courage, and the power that would allow them to leave. This also contributes to the rising divorce rates, because women who would not normally have been able to leave a bad marriage could do so.

Throughout time, gender role stereotypes have existed and it has been difficult to alter these traditional ideas. The need and the desire for women to work may be inhibited by these views. The changing roles of married women working produces many consequences. These consequences effect the marital relationship. They have a particularily deteriorating effect of the marital relationship because of men's and women's ideas about tradional gender roles have not changed as rapidly as the roles themselves. This disproportionate change in roles and values may create many situations that are harmful and ultimately destructive to marital harmony. Considering current trends in divorce rates and the increase in married women's employment are likely to continue, and understanding of their linkage may facilitate amelioration of any further negative consequences and propel future adaptation and understanding between the sexes.

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Pregnancy and your job: discrimination and your rights

Discrimination affects people of all ages, races, genders, and religions. It can even affect you if you are employed, or are looking for a job, and you are pregnant. Fortunately, there are state and federal laws that address the problems associated with pregnancy discrimination. But, you'll understand what your rights are and how you can make sure they are upheld.

Discrimination against mothers to be isn't new at all to our society. That's why the Civil Rights Act of 1964 included a section that pertains to pregnant employees. Basically, the section says that if you work for a company that hires at least fifteen employees, your employer cannot order an employee to quit because she is pregnant. Nor can your employer fire a woman for being pregnant.

Being that she's a mother to be is no legal excuse not to hire a prospective female applicant too. And, an employer cannot, by law, allow a maternity leave to interfere with a woman's years of service record in any way. That is, it cannot be counted against here.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 even goes as far as to state that a woman who has had an abortion cannot be not hired for that reason. Nor can a current employee be let go because she had an abortion.

While you are an employee and are pregnant, if you are unable to perform your regular job because of your pregnancy, then your employer must offer you a light duty job. This job should be temporary until you are able to resume your regular duty.

In 1993, a new act, called the Family and Medical Leave Act, was put into effect. This law says that if your healthcare provider states that you cannot work at any time during your pregnancy, then your employer must allow you to take time off from work. This time is limited to twelve weeks and it is without pay.

You are also able to, by law, take off time to have your baby, adopt a baby or child, or take care of a sick child that belongs to you.

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, your employer must hold your job for you while you are taking this pregnancy - related time off. Your regular pay and benefits cannot be reduced or canceled while you are on leave too.

But, you must have been employed at the same place for at least twelve calendar months. And, you must have worked at least twelve hundred and fifty hours to be covered under this new act.

State laws vary, so be sure to check the laws in your state that protect pregnant women who are employed.

If you think that you are being discriminated against because you're going to have a baby, you should jot down detailed instances. That is, anytime that you feel your employer has discriminated against you, then write down the dates, times, places, names, and the details of what happened. You can then file your grievance with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

If you are a member of a union through your job, you can also contact your union representative to see if you can file a grievance.

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Job interview preparation: what to wear

When it comes to job interviews, what you look like counts! As shallow as it sounds, your appearance is one aspect of your overall person that can make or break an interviewer's decision of whether or not they should hire you.

Though dress codes in the work place have become much more informal in the past several years -- it seems that the "Casual Friday" sentiment has invaded Monday through Friday as well -- job interview attire has remained strictly professional. A pair of khakis and a button down shirt may work once you get to the office, but before being hired, such an ensemble is always a no no. Both men and women alike are expected to wear business suits to any and every interview, and any exception to the rule may be a real cause of concern for the interviewer.

For women, the best choice of interview attire is a smart business suit in a conservative color such as navy blue or black. Although pant suits have become the choice of apparel for many female professionals, proper interview etiquette still calls for female interviewees to wear a skirt to the meeting. When abiding by this rule, be sure to use good judgment as far as the length of the skirt is concerned. When in doubt as to the appropriateness of skirt length, think of knee-length as the ideal.

Other tips for women including making sure to tone down any makeup. If you are going to wear nail polish (though you may want to refrain altogether), a very light color or clear coat is the best option. If you choose to wear jewelry, make sure that the styles chosen are conservative ones. Earrings should be small, and the number of rings and bracelets you choose to put on should be minimal.

For men, a suit is still the required uniform. Again, a conservative color like navy blue or charcoal gray is your best bet. Aside from being more professional looking, dark colors like these make it easier to change the entire look with just the change of a tie or shirt. This can be a particularly useful trick to employ when you need to interview more than once at the same company, but don’t have a wardrobe full of new suits to wear. Men too should choose to leave the jewelry at home, as the only thing you want to call attention to is your world of experience.

Careful grooming is something that both genders should pay careful attention to. Make sure that your hair is neat and professional looking. Long hair should be pulled back and out of your face (for both men and women). For men with facial hair, be sure that your beard or moustache is neat and trimmed. If you prefer the freshly shaven look, be sure and take the extra few minutes to get a shave in before the interview.

A final tip to remember – for men and women alike – is to go easy on the perfume or cologne. Though you certainly want to smell good for the interview, you don’t want to send an allergic interviewer running out in the midst of a sneezing fit.

So, while the rules of dress in the workplace may be more casual, stick to the rules of professionalism when dressing for an interview. Only when you land that job (because of your impeccable job interview appearance) can you start applying the business casual look to your eveyday work life.

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Women of the Civil War

Women in the 1860's and even today were not recognized for their abilities outside the home. Even though the men were off to war, women had to fight at home to work. They were considered too frail to work in business. Ironically women had been working beside their husbands for generations as they went pioneering out west. They worked on their farms and in family store.

The Civil War was important as a watershed event in American history, especially for women. The history books detail the war as told from the men's point of view with battles, and generals. Most history books include a little information on famous women such as Clara Barton, who is served as a volunteer nurse during the Civil War and is credited with starting the American Red Cross. Yet little else is included in those history books about the other heroic women.

Women undertook working outside the home, endured hardships, and the heartbreak and sorrow as their men and young boys were taken away to fight in the war. Many men died or were maimed for live. There were even women who took up arms themselves and dressed in the uniforms of their deceased fathers, brothers, husbands and sons, fought alongside the men. Three hundred such women have been documented but scholars believe there were many more who were never discovered.

Clara Barton was a woman who knew how to organize. She used her skills during the American Civil War. Officially she was not connected to the military. However she collected and delivered supplies to northern troops around Washington, D.C. Her background was as a teacher. She was only twenty when she ran her own school. Later on she was hired to work for the government in Washington, D.C., which was unusual, and a high honor for a woman.

Clara Barton heard about a proslavery group who attacked soldiers in her home state of Massachusetts. Many in the regiment were wounded and some killed. When Barton learned that some of the injured were her former students she rushed back to Massachusetts to offer comfort. She used whatever medical skill she had and organized groups of other women to collect supplies for the men. The proslavers has stolen all their supplies. Her kindness was carried with the remaining troop as they headed south. They wrote their families and told of the wonderful woman who came to their aid. Clara organized ladies aid societies to continue sending supplies to the troops. Wagons of donations were filled and brought right into the camps and battlefields in the Washington area. After the war she continued her humanitarian efforts with the international Red Cross. In 1881 she started the American Red Cross and devoted the rest of her life to it.

Jenny Wade was another young woman caught up in the war effort. She lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was summer 1863 when the Confederate troops headed for Gettsyburg to find shoes for their troops. The Northern troops were stationed in this small town in Gettysburg. They were added by the 2,000 or so residents who had no idea the war was coming to their doorsteps. Jenny Wade was really Mary Virginia. Her friends called her "Gin" or "Ginnie" and when her brave deed made the newspaper it was inaccurately reported as "Jennie." The name stuck throughout history.

On June 26, 1863, the Confederate troops marched into Gettsyburg looking for supplies. The people hid their food. They stationed themselves around the perimeter of the town. With the Northern troops marching into Gettsyburg, there was bound to be a clash. That came true on July 1st. Many citizens retreated to their cellars as protection against battle shells. Jennie and her family thought her sister's home would be safe since it was not in the direct line of the battle. She prepared bread for the Union soldiers and filled their canteens with water. July 3rd, the Confederates fired on the area, including the Wade house. Jennie refused to retreat to the basement. She was making biscuits for the Northern soldiers and felt it was her patriotic duty to remain. A confederate soldier, one of the Louisiana infantrymen, fired and the bullet went through the door of the Wade house and struck Jennie in the back.

A lot of people died in the Civil War but Jennie was the only civilian killed in Gettsyburg. The Northern soldier considered her a heroine for all she had done for them. In recognition of her efforts, Congress declared that the U.S. flag be flown over Jenny Wade's tomb. It still flown today as a reminder of the bravery of one young girl.

There are biographies in the library about Clara Barton and Jenny Wade, but there were thousands of other women who helped who never had their names recorded. Northern women were the driving force behind the anti-slavery issue. After Lincoln's Proclamation freeing slaves in the Confederate state, many of these women traveled with the troops at their own expense. They set up schools to teach freed slaves how to read and write and helped them settle on farms and in cities where they got jobs.

Other women formed groups such as the Sanitary Commission and the Christian Commission. These women also traveled with the troops. They saw to the health of the men, both physically and emotionally. They were very good for morale. They comforted the lonely men, wrote letters for them, and shared their food. Many more men would have died from disease if it wasn't for the work of these brave women. Most of them were middle or upperclass ladies, used to lives of privilege. They gave up their comfortable homes to travel by wagons with the troops, live in tents, and cook over open fires.

There are many more famous names associated with the American Civil War. This includes writers Louisa May Alcott who worked as a nurse in a military hospital and Harriet Beecher Stowe, who continued the fight for at home through her writing and speeches.

There are too many names and too many brave deeds to include in this article. Women from all the northern states participated in different ways to help. Some organized charity balls to raise funds for supplies for the troops. Others provided meals for the troops going through Washington, D.C.

The role of women during the Civil War was not recognized for more than 100 years later, and even now people are learning about these accomplishments. Many unnamed women put their own health at risk to volunteer in military hospitals. Other women kept journals and diaries that recorded the day-to-day life during the war years and provided us with a first hand view of history. Women worked in the camps, and fought on the battlefields and on the home front. Some, like Pauline Cushman, even risked their lives as spies for the North. They are all unsung heroines in the greatest battle ever fought on American soil.

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Tool time for women

Most women grow up without ever needing to know much about simple home repair or even the basics for hanging a picture on a SHEETROCK (R) wall without making a huge hole. Girls do not on a regular basis take a shop course in woodworking, for example, like boys do in junior high school. But suddenly one day, a woman may find herself needing to take care of some small home repair job and not know the first thing about the proper tools for the job. While many women are quite creative about using what is available to do the job, a kitchen knife for instance, instead of a screw driver, it does help to build up a tool box with the correct tools to do most simple jobs around the house. With many women buying their own homes these days, or with the rise in the divorce rate and single living, it is really important to learn these skills.

The first tools that a woman needs to consider are simple. A medium weight hammer, a set of screw drivers, both straight edge and Phillips, in varying sizes, a tape measure and possibly a level. You don’t need to buy very expensive tools, but you should buy good ones. This is one area that cheap is not necessarily the way to go. Your local hardware store or the big chain stores like Sears, Lowes and Home Depot stock many brands of tools and they are always very eager to help you pick out the ones you need.

Moving on from the basic tools, you may want to consider buying your first power tool. A variable speed reversing drill with a 3/8 chuck (opening for the drill bit) and a 1/3 horsepower motor should be sufficient for most jobs around the home. They now make drills that are cordless which is a real advantage when you need to drill holes in tight spots. Of course, once you graduate into power tools you should consider buying a good quality extension cord to operate them. The light weight extension cords that you use around the house are just not adequate and you certainly should not use them outdoors. You may need to use your power tools outside in order to avoid making a mess indoors.

If you start to consider getting into more extensive construction projects, like building book shelves which necessitates cutting boards to length, you may need to buy a circular saw. There are many types on the market. You will not need one like the carpenters on the new construction site down the road. For the few times that you may need one, a “homeowners” type is best. Again, this follows for most power tools that are used around the home. Unless you are going to be doing major repairs or construction around the house, you do not need to buy top end tools. And many times, a hand saw can do the same thing, especially if you only need to cut one or two boards. You will also need a t-square or other measuring device to ensure right angles, if you are going to be doing your own cutting.

When it comes to plumbing, sometimes it is better to call a professional. However, for tightening a leaky faucet or if you need to repair a simple pipe leak under the sink, there are many wrenches that you can add to your tool box. These can come in handy, for instance, if you decide to change the shower head and you can’t loosen it by hand. A pair of vise grips also comes in handy for loosening tough connections.

Many pieces of furniture now come as “knock downs”. This means that you have to put the little screws into the holes and attach all the pieces yourself once you get it home. It saves you money if you can put it together yourself. A set of ratchet wrenches comes in handy for this type of job. Sometimes, the furniture comes with keyhole wrenches. If so, always make sure you hang on to them as they will come handy again when bolts loosen up.

These are the basics of tools for most jobs around the house. Usually what happens is that you will accumulate tools as different jobs come up. It is important for women to remember that with time and patience most jobs can be accomplished with the right tools for the job.

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Pregnancy and your job: how to plan ahead; Tips for balancing your pregnancy and your job.

When a woman decides to have a baby, it can affect all aspects of her life. Not only does her home life change, but also her career. At the bare minimum, a new mother must take time off to have the baby and recover from childbirth. At the other end of the spectrum, some women are leaving full-time careers to become stay-at-home-moms. And, many women are somewhere between these two extremes, taking leave then returning to work, returning to work part-time or changing to more family friendly careers. Whatever option a woman selects, it is important to plan ahead.

Before the pregnancy

If it is possible, it is wise for a woman to start planning before she is even pregnant. She should think about whether she would like to continue to work once she has a baby and the financial ramifications of that preference. If possible, saving money prior to pregnancy can help with any unpaid time that must be taken during pregnancy or after the baby comes.

A woman should also use this time to become familiar with all of the employee benefits associated with pregnancy. She should learn what her company sponsored medical insurance will cover. Learn whether the company offers maternity leave and how long the leave may be. Is the maternity leave paid or unpaid? If the company offers disability insurance, is pregnancy covered by the plan? What benefits will be payable by the company and by private or state sponsored disability insurance? Women should research how these benefits would be affected if they indicate they are not planning to return to work.

Once you are pregnant

While many women want to tell their employers as soon as possible that they are pregnant, it is often wise to wait a few months. At the very least, if a woman is waiting until after the first trimester to tell friends and family, she should not tell her employer prior to that time. Of course if a woman has complications or severe morning sickness, it may be necessary to tell her employer at an earlier date.

Before a pregnant woman speaks to her employer, she should familiarize herself with her legal rights. State departments of labor can provide information on pregnancy rights and the information is often readily available on public web sites.

Since the announcement can have an impact on promotions and pay reviews, if a woman is due for either of these events she may want to consider waiting to inform her boss. While the news might not have any effect, if she hasn’t disclosed it she will not have any worry about this instance for pregnancy discrimination.

Anticipate the employer’s reaction. In all likelihood an employer will be pleased for an employee, but will also have concerns about how the work will get done. It is wise for a woman to be ready with suggestions about replacement workers for her duties while she is on leave. For women who do not plan to return to their jobs after the baby is born, many experts recommend they do not tell their employers since it may jeopardize their benefits or their positions during the pregnancy. However, since each job situation is unique each woman must make her own decisions about the work environment and the information it is appropriate to disclose.

An employer will need to know a woman’s plans for maternity leave. Specifically, an employer has the right to know if a woman plans on working up until the baby is born or until a particular date. The employer also has the right to know how much maternity leave a woman plans on taking. When women plan to take advantage of post-natal benefits, for example on-site daycare, programs that allow women to bring infants to work or to work part-time, these things should also be mentioned to the employer.

While unexpected things can happen, employers look most kindly on women who leave their work organized and are prepared for someone to cover their duties. Documentation of little known procedures is valuable not only for replacement workers, but for a woman returning to her

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