--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have held forums here at the White…" description: "\"We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into law by President Obama was the Lilly Ledbett..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/valerie-jarrett-2933_act_we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-ho_47065.png" --- # We have held forums here at the White House on workplace… ![“We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into law by President Obama was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Lilly was here a few weeks ago because we were trying very hard to push paycheck fairness through the Congress. Unfortunately, we…” quote by Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/valerie-jarrett-2933_act_we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-ho_47065.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/valerie-jarrett-2933_act_we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-ho_47065.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/valerie-jarrett-2933_act_we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-ho_47065.png) > “We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into law by President Obama was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Lilly was here a few weeks ago because we were trying very hard to push paycheck fairness through the Congress. Unfortunately, we fell two votes short.” [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates for workplace flexibility and equal pay, noting legislative setbacks despite executive support. **In simple terms:** Push for pay equity and flexible work policies. Key Takeaway Policy advocacy faces political hurdles. Themes workplace flexibility pay equity legislative process executive leadership advocacy Mood determined frustrated hopeful Type policy statement advocacy speech When to use this quote - corporate HR meetings - Congressional hearings - public rallies - executive briefings Key Concepts fair compensation policy implementation political negotiation Practical Applications - drafting equitable pay legislation - designing flexible work programs Questions to Reflect On - How can policymakers balance fairness with economic concerns? - What strategies can overcome legislative gridlock? A Different Perspective Opponents argue that mandated pay equity could increase labor costs and reduce hiring flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) [Fairness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairness/) [Flexibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flexibility/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [White house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-house/) [Workplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workplace/) ## Related quotes > [The first bill that President Obama signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. I think it says something about his priorities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-ledbetter/the-first-bill-that-president-obama-signed-into-law-was-the-lilly/) [Lilly Ledbetter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-ledbetter/) > [Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure fair pay for women in the workplace. In addition, he succeeded in getting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/obama-signed-the-lilly-ledbetter-fair-pay-act-to-ensure-fair-pay-for/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) > [Here at home, President Obama early on made the connection between growth and economic opportunity for women. In the depths of our crisis in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lael-brainard/here-at-home-president-obama-early-on-made-the-connection-between/) [Lael Brainard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lael-brainard/) > [ \[During\] the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter \[Fair Pay Act\], equal pay for equal work, the women led that fight. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mikulski/during-the-passage-of-the-lilly-ledbetter-fair-pay-act-equal-pay-for/) [Barbara Mikulski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mikulski/) > [When I talk to different lawmakers, I'm trying to get them to reach across the aisle. There's legislation out there that would be helpful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/when-i-talk-to-different-lawmakers-i-m-trying-to-get-them-to-reach/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [ \[Barack Obama\] had already signed Lilly Ledbetter, signed SCHIP, the children's health insurance program. By the time he had his first address to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/barack-obama-had-already-signed-lilly-ledbetter-signed-schip-the/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [We want this - and I - we hope that right when they come back, that the Congress passes the Lilly Ledbetter Act which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-smeal/we-want-this-and-i-we-hope-that-right-when-they-come-back-that-the/) [Eleanor Smeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-smeal/) > [As more and more people demand fair pay, the Government and big corporations are going to have to take notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/as-more-and-more-people-demand-fair-pay-the-government-and-big/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) > [Our union helps ensure that we earn fair pay and benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-doolittle/our-union-helps-ensure-that-we-earn-fair-pay-and-benefits/) [Sean Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-doolittle/) > [And it would be fair. Everyone will pay the same tax and it will eliminate tax cheaters and corporate shenanigans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-forbes/and-it-would-be-fair-everyone-will-pay-the-same-tax-and-it-will/) [Steve Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-forbes/) > [“Follow the dreams of others and you will receive a paycheck. Follow your own dreams and you will never check your pay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-lowry/follow-the-dreams-of-others-and-you-will-receive-a-paycheck-follow/) [Vincent Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-lowry/) > [“My paycheck is so small it has an inferiority complex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-kane/my-paycheck-is-so-small-it-has-an-inferiority-complex/) Mallory Kane > [I still have my first paycheck. It was just, I think, a dollar or two that I got when I started as a songwriter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-still-have-my-first-paycheck-it-was-just-i-think-a-dollar-or-two/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [George Jones, Johnny Paycheck all them dudes they're respected and they were twice as crazy as I'll ever be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-iii/george-jones-johnny-paycheck-all-them-dudes-they-re-respected-and/) [Hank Williams III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-iii/) > [As a prosecutor, I got a paycheck for coming to work every day. I didn't get a promotion when I won, and I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grace/as-a-prosecutor-i-got-a-paycheck-for-coming-to-work-every-day-i-didn/) [Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grace/) ## More by Valerie Jarrett > [I am an Iranian by birth and of my Islamic faith. I am also an American Citizen and I seek to help change America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-am-an-iranian-by-birth-and-of-my-islamic-faith-i-am-also-an/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Companies have told us that they have employees who are near retirement age. We created a $5 billion reinsurance pool to help them bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/companies-have-told-us-that-they-have-employees-who-are-near/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Part of what makes America strong is our resilience, tenacity, innovation and our willingness to be optimistic about our future. I know that President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/part-of-what-makes-america-strong-is-our-resilience-tenacity/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [I had my daughter when I was pretty young, 28, and I had to sacrifice not going out with my friends, and I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-had-my-daughter-when-i-was-pretty-young-28-and-i-had-to-sacrifice/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Barack's mother was very important to him, but he spent a great deal of his life living in a different place. So, as all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/barack-s-mother-was-very-important-to-him-but-he-spent-a-great-deal/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Encouraging the next generation is really where my heart is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/encouraging-the-next-generation-is-really-where-my-heart-is/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [I vividly remember early on in my career when I was eight months pregnant, working literally around the clock, and worrying that each trip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-vividly-remember-early-on-in-my-career-when-i-was-eight-months/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [I don't want to just tell my story - I want to share the experiences, life lessons, and values that have shaped who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-don-t-want-to-just-tell-my-story-i-want-to-share-the-experiences/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [If you are not diverse and you are not listening to all voices and have your ear to the ground, you're not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/if-you-are-not-diverse-and-you-are-not-listening-to-all-voices-and/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [We do have to ask ourselves as a culture, what do we want to be? You know, what are our founding values? And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-do-have-to-ask-ourselves-as-a-culture-what-do-we-want-to-be-you/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [We have to think creatively about changes that need to be made in the workplace to accommodate the growing demands on the work force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-to-think-creatively-about-changes-that-need-to-be-made-in-the/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [We don't want to get distracted by looking back; we need to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-don-t-want-to-get-distracted-by-looking-back-we-need-to-move/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [For me, the passions and issues I care so much about are ones that lend themselves to work whether you're in government or outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/for-me-the-passions-and-issues-i-care-so-much-about-are-ones-that/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [The tech community has taken the first step by recognizing that diversity is a strength and realizing that many of them have to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/the-tech-community-has-taken-the-first-step-by-recognizing-that/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [Throughout the health-insurance reform process, we have had a frequent and consistent dialogue with the business community - small, medium, and large - to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/throughout-the-health-insurance-reform-process-we-have-had-a-frequent/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) [Explore all 145 Valerie Jarrett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) ## More Act quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Teachers' unions don't act in the interest of most teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/teachers-unions-don-t-act-in-the-interest-of-most-teachers/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [People take years learning how to act; it's a skill, not just a job. If I tried it out and thought I'd be OK,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/people-take-years-learning-how-to-act-it-s-a-skill-not-just-a-job-if/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [“Don’t turn your face away. Once you’ve seen, you can no longer act like you don’t know. Open your eyes to the truth. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vashti-quiroz-vega/don-t-turn-your-face-away-once-you-ve-seen-you-can-no-longer-act-like/) Vashti Quiroz-Vega > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I have no interest in watching myself act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wesley/i-have-no-interest-in-watching-myself-act/) [Paul Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wesley/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I do believe some people can naturally act and don't know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-arnold/i-do-believe-some-people-can-naturally-act-and-don-t-know-it/) [Andrea Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-arnold/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [I honestly didn't know that I wanted to act until I was probably 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-rae-mayo/i-honestly-didn-t-know-that-i-wanted-to-act-until-i-was-probably-12/) [Miranda Rae Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-rae-mayo/) Browse all 1,802 Act quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into law by President Obama was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Lilly was here a few weeks ago because we were trying very hard to push paycheck fairness through the Congress. Unfortunately, we fell two votes short.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Valerie Jarrett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-house-on-workplace-flexibility/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Act" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-house-on-workplace-flexibility/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/valerie-jarrett-2933_act_we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-ho_47065.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/valerie-jarrett-2933_act_we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-ho_47065.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/valerie-jarrett-2933_act_we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-ho_47065.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into…” — Valerie Jarrett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Valerie Jarrett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have held forums here at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-house-on-workplace-flexibility/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-house-on-workplace-flexibility/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```