March 10, 2009 .
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
24 Million go from 'thriving' to 'struggling'
“More than 24 million Americans shifted in 2008 from lives that were "thriving" to ones that were "struggling," according to a massive study by Gallup and Healthways, a Tennessee health management company. Results from its Well-Being Index — including physical and mental health as well as personal finances and job satisfaction — are being released Tuesday. [. . .] In the face of a faltering economy, some analysts say, Americans may be redefining some fundamental ambitions. A study sponsored by Northwestern Mutual and being released today asked Americans to define "success." Topping the list were spending time with family, having a good relationship with a spouse or partner, being healthy and maintaining a good work/life balance. Ranked near the bottom were such material goals as owning "the home of your dreams" and earning a high income.”
Telecommuting a definite trend
“Jennifer Golden admits work is more enjoyable now that she telecommutes. And, this confession doesn’t offend her employer one bit. Home is where ComCenters wants the bookkeeper to stay. After all, ComCenters officials are the ones who requested two years ago that Golden telecommute due to office space limitations. Ever since, the situation has been a win-win for both. “I actually think I’m more productive at home,” Golden said. “I don’t get those constant interruptions, and I can get more work done that way.” Telecommuting arrangements are being considered more and more by employers and job seekers in this economy.”
Negotiating your way out of a layoff
“As the joblessness rate goes up it’s becoming almost commonplace for American workers to consider a plan of action in case they get laid off. But is there a way to be proactive and stave off a layoff? Cali Yost, blogger for Fast Company magazine joins The Takeaway to talk about ways to save your job such as talking to your employer about saving the company money. Yost writes and consults on work and life issues.”
On the Job: Some workers prefer to focus on furlough's silver lining
“While Harris and Brown admit that the financial hit they will take from unpaid furloughs won't be easy, they also say they are looking forward to some time away from jobs that often have encroached on their ability to take care of private business or spend time with family and friends. Some workers have indicated they will use time off to take vacations, or even to have medical procedures such as surgery. These furloughs are different from vacations or sick leave, however, because even in those instances employees have been known to work, or at least check their voice messages or e-mail. But under these furlough agreements, most employees are not allowed to check their e-mail or do any sort of work.”
These Nurses Are Taking Their Show on the Road
“Traveling nurses often work full time, with little or no gap between jobs, but part-time work is also an option. Their assignments are usually arranged through an agency that acts as a combination employer and booking agent. A typical agency puts nurses on its own payroll while they are on the job. Agencies pay nurses’ salaries and often benefits including a portion of health insurance, and they help arrange housing on the road. [. . .] Mr. Pridham seems to lean toward Option B. Traveling nurses provide “the flexibility of having somebody for 13 or 26 weeks, then not having to worry about being overhired,” he said. The hospital tries to be flexible with travelers, too, often giving them three-day workweeks with 12-hour shifts to allow them more time to enjoy their new surroundings.”
Minimizing unplanned or unnecessary leave taken by employees
“All Work/Life Balance Programs have employer flexibility as their cornerstone. Allowing an employee the option of leaving early to go to the school play means they don’t have to call in sick for the entire day. Creating a job share situation for an employee with an elderly parent they are caring for means that their attendance will be reliable and they will have another person to back them up when something unexpected happens. By adopting thoughtful measures, there’s a very good chance you can cut down on absenteeism in your workplace. Although, admittedly, in a perverse way, sometimes those excuse-calls are pretty entertaining. We’ve all heard some wild excuses from employees who couldn’t come to work. Sometimes I hope for a good excuse when the phone rings, and I’m disappointed when the employee offers nothing better than a fake cough and a raspy voice.”
Blogs
How Much Longer Will You Need to Work to Recoup 2008 Losses?
“Even before the recession began, Americans should have been considering working past the average retirement age, 63, because of increasing life expectancy. But the 18 percent hit the average 401(k) participant took in 2008 has made retirement prospects even worse. The average 40-year-old with a 401(k) savings rate of 7 percent must work one more year or save an additional 1 percent of pay per year until age 65 to recoup 2008 market losses, according to recent calculations by human resources consulting firm Hewitt Associates.”
A Work-Life Regression?
“Is this deep recession the beginning of a work-life regression? Will the recession’s impact on the culture for work-life friendliness we’ve spent so long building face a severe setback? Worse–will the “lean and mean” era return to replace respect and caring? Work-life advocates may reply that all the same work-life issues still exist in a time of extraordinarily high stress: that helping employees deal with the financial, emotional and physical stress will hold off the rise in health-care costs and lost productivity; that EAPs and other stress-relief programs become even more important; that working mothers will carry the extra burden of being the sole family bread winners and need even greater flexibility during an era of job loss; and that any cutbacks now will be viewed by employees as cut-throat tactics later–when they can again talk with their feet.”
Cut Hours, Not Jobs - Part 2 of "Family Friendly Recession?"
“Reduced hours may look like automatic family friendliness, but if the reduction is entirely on the employers' terms it doesn't help parents in need of flexibility much more than the standard workweek did. If employers work with employees, male and female, in devising reduced schedules, all parties gain. And the government can assist. In 17 states, a Shared Work program helps employees and employers who must reduce hours by paying pro-rated unemployment benefits. In 2008 in New York 83% more employers participated in this program than in 2007, and a 2009 surge is already underway. In Texas the program is little known, but word is spreading. This option makes much more sense than layoffs in many environments and should be available nationwide.”
Legislative Committee Approves Paid Sick Leave Bill; Reports Indicate Bill is Likely to Pass
“Connecticut's prospects of becoming the first state with a broad paid sick leave provision got a little closer on Tuesday as a legislative committee voted 8-3 (along party lines) to approve the measure. While such a step was not unexpected (it passed courtesy morgue filecommittee last year), it is another indication that proponents of the measure are not willing to let this issue go away without a fight. I've discussed the bill several times before and it appears that the basic structure of paid sick leave bill (H.B. 6187) has remained unchanged.”
Comparison Shopping: The Price Tag
“You’ve grown up hearing, from your parents and other well-meaning adults, that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Free samples at Costco (easily a meal, really) have proven to you that this isn't necessarily so. You’ve also heard from critics of social welfare spending — again, possibly your parents — that sure, it’s all fine and dandy that Sweden and France have free child care and paid parental leave and long vacations, but it costs them (!!) in taxes, productivity, and self-worth, among many — many! — other economic and moral factors. We here at The Lattice Group are going to level with you: nobody — not a single political scientist, economist, sociologist, or any other kind of –ist — has proven the effect of social welfare spending on an economy, good or bad. A former political science professor of mine recently put the issue in perspective for me….”
Global News
How to get back to work
“The Americans have a name for it — ‘off-ramps’ and ‘on-ramps’ — the process by which well-qualified women either give up work completely, or cut back their hours to care for children or relatives, and then, despite the broken work experience, part-time hours, drop in income and reduced chance of promotion, try to get back into professional life. Among British working mothers, it is known euphemistically as the ‘mummy track’. As the partner of Tony Blair’s press secretary, Alastair Campbell, a political journalist and aide to the Blairs in No 10, I have tried every kind of work — full-time, part-time, flexitime. Throughout, I have had crashes of confidence, been permanently exhausted and moderated every career choice with the anxiety that I would let my children down in some way. But it was coming back into the office after periods of working at home that I found hardest to negotiate — the ‘on-ramp’.”
Rachel Dati defends swift return to work after birth
“French justice minister Rachida Dati has spoken for the first time of her decision to return to work five days after giving birth to a baby girl.She became an international celebrity in January when photos of her rushing back to the ministry days after giving birth by caesarean section were published in the press. Her decision attracted criticism from women's groups and provoked speculation that she feared being politically sidelined. But Dati, 43, a former star in President Nicolas Sarkozy's cabinet who fell from grace, told a French newspaper that her decision to hurry back to work had been for personal reasons.”