March 20, 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
The benefits of working longer
“We already know that a growing corps of people in their 50s and 60s are more interested in renewal than retirement. Marc Freedman of Civic Ventures talks about "encore careers" for those who want to leave their midlife jobs and move into work with social value. Now, he says hopefully, "The one benefit of this economic crisis is to drive home the reality that longer working lives are going to be necessary and desirable. If we can give people a sense that contributing longer is not another set of years at the grindstone but an opportunity to do something they can feel proud of, we'll have accomplished something significant." That's still a big if. So far, there's been little help making the transition. But one innovative idea would make national service an onramp for encore careers. The bipartisan Serve America Act coming to the Senate floor not only expands AmeriCorps with its young and old population but provides model fellowships in 50 states that would help older adults enter areas where they're needed, such as education or the environment.”
Penn policy makes paternity leave possible
“In September 2008, Classical Studies professor Campbell Grey went on paternity leave to welcome a new child into his family. The move was not unusual for a Penn professor, as the University has moved towards policies that acknowledge the ability of both mothers and fathers to take charge of early parenting. In 2006, Penn revised its policies on options for faculty members who wished to leave work to care for their children. The policies were not only made gender neutral, but were expanded to include adoptive and foster parents, as well as biological. Penn's deans and the faculty committees, among others, were responsible for the policy revision. Under the revised policy, the main leave option for faculty members calls for a 50-percent reduction in teaching duties, but is different from a leave of absence.”
Biden talks jobs on St. Cloud visit
“Vice President Joe Biden brought his road show to Minnesota today, back on the stump as the Obama administration's cheerleader-in-chief for the middle class. With four Cabinet secretaries and Sen. Amy Klobuchar in tow, Biden held a town-hall meeting at a bus manufacturing plant that allowed him to simultaneously touch base on the administration's plans for job creation while promoting green energy. [. . .] Biden said the work of the middle-class task force that he is leading will provide a booster for middle-income families as the economy "comes roaring out of this recession." "The people who do the jobs, they'll benefit from the expansion," he said.”
Perking Up: Some Companies Offer New Benefits
“Here's some news you don't read very often these days: Employers are fattening up perks and benefits for the little guy. What? Seriously. I'm not talking about outrageous bonuses for financial highfliers at American International Group. Instead, even as the downturn has deepened in recent months, companies including Intel, Discovery Communications, Brown-Forman, USAA, Yum! Brands and Cardinal Health have unveiled such new benefits for the rank and file as child-care centers, backup child care, scholarships for employees' kids, concierge services, adoption benefits and expanded health care. [. . .] To ease the stress and hang on to talent they want to keep, these employers are launching "programs that help employees balance their lives, and that don't have a huge price tag" relative to other corporate costs, says Ms. Sladek.”
Basic Steps Toward Work-Life Balance
“Among the many things the average professional deals with daily: getting ahead at work; helping the kids with their homework; driving the school carpool; spending quality time with their significant other; caring for elderly parents; dealing with chores in the home; trying to get in just a few minutes to catch up with friends. Life can feel like a constant battle between our professional and personal lives, especially now, with the economic distress making our lives more challenging than ever in so many ways. Before you beat yourself up about not being able to get everything done, consider these tips for achieving a better balance between your work and the rest of your life this year.”
Minnesota House committee approves paid sick days legislation
“A Minnesota House committee has approved legislation that would provide all Minnesota workers with paid sick days. In his presentation of the bill to the House Commerce and Labor Committee last Wednesday, Rep. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul, emphasized the necessity of the legislation to ensure the health and safety of all Minnesotans, workers and consumers alike. [. . .] The legislation’s supporters also described the importance of paid sick leave for working women. In a system that forces workers to choose between their health and the health of their families and their job, women tend to be disproportionately affected. One testifier, Delinia Parris, knew first hand the grave consequences of current labor practices.”
Seniors ready for workforce reentry
“Some simply call them elderly, but reliable, motivated and rich in life experiences are better terms to describe the members of the 2009 Experience Works class. Having learned about job skills, ‘fitting-in skills’ and ‘transferable skills,’ among other things, 13 seniors — members of the Experience Works class, which began in December — graduated Wednesday, ready to re-enter the workforce. ‘Nobody’s really retiring anymore,’ noted Experience Works Employment and Training Coordinator Mangle L. Shanks, before handing out diplomas. ‘Don’t let anybody make you feel, because you’re (older), you have nothing to offer.’”
Blogs
Families to Care About
“Is the opt-out revolution coming to an end? It sure feels like it these days. With men losing jobs in massive numbers, stay-at-home moms heading back into the workforce and part-time working mothers increasing their hours, feminists are cheering women’s sudden rediscovery of self-sufficiency. The “Today” show’s Web site has declared, “Working moms: Don’t feel guilty … Why you shouldn’t feel bad about using child care for your kids.” Message: It’s the quality, not the quantity of time you spend with your children that counts. (Now, I haven’t heard that for decades.) Journalists are going nuts finding stories that show that the lives of the formerly epoch-molding opt-outers — the rich, educated, non-working moms who set the tone of the talk about motherhood in the boom years — aren’t all they’ve been cracked up to be.”
Dads and Downturns
“I don't want to minimize the stress of a layoff or the agony and marital tension created by the loss of an income. For most families, a working dad (or a working mom or a dual-earner family) is not a social statement, but an economic reality. I am all for making sure that everyone -- mom or dad -- have the support they need to manage the downturn. But to suggest that men are somehow further damaged by the indignation of suddenly being thrust into a caretaking role is insulting.”
How to support the troops
“Some 3,000 members of the Oregon Army National Guard are preparing to spend a year away from home. They will pack next month for a few weeks of training in California, be given a week off, then fly to Georgia for another couple of months of training. From there, they will be shipped to Iraq for about 10 months. In other words, several thousand spouses and their children will have one week in April or June, plus two weeks for midtour leave, to spend time with their deployed family members. But some of them won't be able to take full advantage of that time because their employers won't let them take a week or two of leave.”
Distracted? Meet Maggie Jackson
“Today we discuss some of the brain implications of "always on" workplaces and lifestyles via a fascinating interview with Maggie Jackson, an award-winning author and journalist. Her latest book, Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age, describes the implications of our busy work and life environments and offers important reflections to help us thrive in them.”
Global News
Bypassing the glass ceiling
“YOUNG women are told they can have it all, they're smart, educated and savvy. But when it comes to moving into leadership positions, they face a special brand of challenges. Perceived inexperience, stereotypical sexual bias and the inability to find a work-life balance are some of the barriers preventing young women from climbing the sticky ladder. The Underworked Solution: Women and the Talent Crunch, a paper based on research by Manpower, says inflexible work structures are the biggest global barrier to workplace engagement and retention of women. Kelly Baker is among a growing number of young women who've bypassed the corporate glass ceiling by using leadership and entrepreneurial skills to start up their own businesses.”
Employers give maternity leave top-up a wide berth
“AS MOTHER’S DAY approaches, expectant and new mums are feeling the pressure. Employer supports taken for granted in the past can no longer always be relied upon. It is therefore vital to make sure that you’re claiming your full statutory entitlements. When it comes to maternity leave, there are certain rights that remain unaffected by the recent deterioration in the employment market. Firstly, if you become pregnant, you are automatically entitled to maternity leave from work of 26 weeks. If you have made enough PRSI contributions, you will receive maternity benefit from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The amount of this benefit will depend on your earnings.”