January 15, 2008.
The Workplace Flexibility 2010 News Roundup is a compilation of the latest news articles, reports and other materials related to workplace flexibility. The News Roundup appears twice-weekly. If you have questions about any of the items, please contact WF2010@law.georgetown.edu.
Articles
Defining Independant Contractors
“With growing acceptance of flexible work arrangements among large and small employers, many, including seasonal employers, are increasing their contingent hiring to meet the peaks and valleys of demand.... Classifying contingent workers as independent contractors benefits employers because it reduces recruiting and training costs, CCH says. These employers also save money on benefits packages and payroll taxes, a result that has the attention of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state tax authorities, who question how independent many of these workers really are.”
EU and Japan Exchange Ideas on Flexicurity and Work-Life Balance
“The symposium, taking place in Tokyo on 17 January, will discuss policy approaches to the increasing diversification of forms of work, e.g. part-time, fixed-term contract, job-sharing or sub-contract labour. It will look in particular at how to help people better balance work and private life and how best to combine flexibility on the labour market with employment security for workers – known in Europe as the flexicurity approach.”
Retail Employers Reveal Recruitment and Retention Strategies for 2008 in New CareerBuilder.com Survey
“The quality of a company's benefits continues to be an important factor for employees. Twenty-one percent of retail employers plan to offer more comprehensive or better health benefits in 2008. Forty-five percent of retail employers say they will provide more flexible work arrangements for employees in 2008. One-in-ten retail employers say their companies are offering more special perks in 2008.”
UC Technologies Prove Valuable Tool for Teleworkers
“Only 55% of U.S. companies surveyed offer fully IT-supported flexible work environments, compared with much higher adoption rates in other regions of the world, with leading countries including France (75 percent of companies) and Switzerland (73 percent). However, the survey showed the United States as the global leader in overall U.C. [Unified Communications] adoption (scoring 8.5 out of 10 on the unified communications adoption and maturity index) — which implies that it is not technology that slows U.S. flexi-work adoption.”
Woman to Woman: Is Maternal Profiling a Problem in the Workplace?
Two opinion articles discuss the issue of maternal profiling from different angles: Shaunti Feldhahn (“from the right”) writes “Employers' top priority should be bottom line”, as a rebuttal to Andrea Sarvady’s opinon (“from the left”): “Family-friendly bosses.” Sign-up Required.
Hire Calling: Midsize Firm Makes Time, Space for Flexible-Work Mentors
“Hire Calling is a feature about hiring decisions and related employment matters. This week, reporter Barbara Rabinovitz speaks with attorney Elizabeth Foster-Nolan, director of professional development at Boston’s Goulston & Storrs, about the firm’s recent decision to have four of its members serve as flexible-work mentors for associates.”
The New Recruits: Older Workers
Managers Fear Shortfall as Baby Boomers Retire; Flexible Hours, Training
“An expected wave of baby-boomer retirements has some managers fretting about worker shortages. But experts say many firms are overlooking a big supply of potential employees -- older workers who can be wooed to continue working.”
Brazen Careerist: The End of Work as We Know It
“Women have already widely rejected the idea of sacrificing time with their children to a relentless, high-powered, long-houred job, and men are following suit. Women have also found that staying at home with kids all day is boring. Institutions are responding – finally – to these trends. Parents will choose some form of shared care. Each parent will work part time and take care of kids part time.”
'On-Ramping Not Just for Women Anymore
“As more men pitch in with caregiving and even stay home for years to do so, there will be growing demand on their part for help in transitioning back to work. Yet the flurry of corporate and educational programs started to help on-rampers are almost all just for women.”
Study: Telecommuting Makes Work Worse for Non-Telecommuters
“About 37 percent of US companies have adopted some kind of flexible work arrangement, and that rate is reportedly growing by 11 percent each year. While the health, life, and work benefits for those who can telecommute are undeniable, a new study says the practice is actually having a negative effect on coworkers who still have to fight morning traffic or jostle for a seat on the subway, also known as "those left behind in the office."”
Retirement Isn't What It Used to Be
““Working in retirement” is the new trend in America. More and more people are leaving one job or career and starting a new one. Whether you want to work or need to work, the joy is to find work you like. If you have enjoyed working at something, the goal may be to continue doing it, but on your schedule, on your terms. Corporations are beginning to offer phased and flexible situations to keep valued workers”
Includes video of Jan. 11 Today Show: “Authors Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners talk about why baby boomers should rewire, not retire, and use their free time to explore their interests.”
Mixed Messages Sent to DC Council Regarding Taxes, Paid Leave
“Businesses in D.C. are pleased with recent tax relief but upset over mandates for paid sick leave being considered by the D.C. Council…The benefit would apply to part-time and full-time workers, who will accrue the time and be able to access it after 90 days.”
Blogs
Cleveland Bar Association Researching Downtown Day Care
“A downtown day care would do more than help lawyers shave commute times. Lawyers would be close to their children during the day and could stop by to check on them or join them for activities. "Knowing that you can get to your children if you need to, knowing they're not just safe but thriving, matters a lot to parents," said Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of the Families and Work Institute. But would easy access to child care be an excuse to demand even greater hours from attorneys?”
Flexitime Leads to Good Health
“You have one more reason to ask for workplace flexibility from your boss. It has now been proved scientifically that if companies provide workplace flexibility and if employees perceive that flexibility as real, then healthier lifestyle habits are put into action by those employees.”
Mentions: Working Mother Magazine; Wake Forest University School of Medicine Study
Lots to Like About Phased Retirement
“The Department of Finance proposed tweaks to pension rules to encourage "phased retirement." Rather than quit the workforce cold turkey, those in traditional employer-sponsored defined benefit pensions could draw partial pensions and gradually cut back on working hours: moving first to a four-day week, then three days, etc. Or it might take the form of working full workweeks in certain seasons, then taking a few weeks or months off during slow periods, like a sabbatical with the pension kicking in while the salary is missing.”