Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

9 to 5 No More: State Legislation To Give Working Families More

Time

Julie Schwartz Weber, JD

Policy Specialist

July 11, 2008

www.bc.edu/wfnetwork

** Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not those of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation or the Sloan Work and Family Research Network.

.

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Agenda

• Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family?– Workforce Changes– Workplace Changes

• What Is the Impact on Families? – Impact on Parents– Impact on Children

• What Is the Impact on Employers?

• What Are States Doing to Help?– Flexibility in The Workplace with Focus on:

• Flexible Leaves (Paid Sick, Education)• Flex-time (Flexible Work Schedules)• Flexible Place (Telework)

• Now What? Parting Thoughts

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

I Need a “June Cleaver” in My Life!

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

• Increased labor participation of mothers

• Rise of dual earner and single parent households, where every parent in the home works– Only 19% of married-couple

families fit the “traditional” model with a stay-at-home mother and breadwinner father

No Earners

One Earner, Husband

One Earner, Wife

Dual-Earner

Other Earner Types

57%

14%

19%

5%

5%

Source: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 2005

• Increased numbers of workers, both men and women, are providing substantial care to their elderly and disabled relatives

WORKFORCE CHANGES

Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family?

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

• Non-daytime and weekend employment is mainstream

• Wide use of technology, including Blackberries, email, and voicemail, allow workers to be forever “on duty”

• Longer commutes than in previous decades

70

82 8191

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Combined work hours of all couples(dual and single-earner)

Combined work hours of dual-earnercouples with children

1977

2002

Source: Bond, et. al. (2002).

• 24/7 economy where time at work has increased

WORKPLACE CHANGES

Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family?

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family?

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Agenda

• Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family?– Workforce Changes– Workplace Changes

• What Is the Impact on Families? – Impact on Parents– Impact on Children

• What Is the Impact on Employers?

• What Are States Doing to Help?– Flexibility in The Workplace with Focus on:

• Flexible Leaves (Paid Sick, Education)• Flex-time (Flexible Work Schedules)• Flexible Place (Telework)

• Now What? Parting Thoughts

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What is the Impact on Families?

• Work/family conflict may create stress, which increases risk of:– anxiety or mood disorder– substance abuse – physical health conditions

• Work/family conflict may lower marital quality

• Work/family conflict can result in adverse financial consequences

IMPACT ON PARENTS

Work/family conflict may result in negative health, social, and financial outcomes for parents

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What is the Impact on Families?

• Parental availability and involvement are important to children’s:– Health– Academic and developmental outcomes, particularly during

adolescence

IMPACT ON CHILDRENThere may be negative effects on children when parents lack flexibility to participate in their children’s lives

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Agenda

• Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family?– Workforce Changes– Workplace Changes

• What Is the Impact on Families? – Impact on Children– Impact on Parents

• What Is the Impact on Employers?

• What Are States Doing to Help?– Flexibility in The Workplace with Focus on:

• Flexible Leaves (Paid Sick, Education)• Flex-time (Flexible Work Schedules)• Flexible Place (Telework)

• Now What? Parting Thoughts

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What is the Impact on Employers?

EMPLOYEES WITHOUT FLEXIBILITY COST EMPLOYERS $$$• Increased presenteeism

• Decreased productivity

• Decreased job satisfaction

• Increased absenteeism

• Greater health care costs

• Higher turnover costs

• Decreased engagement

• Less effective recruiting

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What is the Impact on Employers?

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Agenda

• Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family?– Workforce Changes– Workplace Changes

• What Is the Impact on Families? – Impact on Children– Impact on Parents

• What Is the Impact on Employers?

• What Are States Doing to Help?– Flexibility in The Workplace with Focus on:

• Flexible Leaves (Paid Sick, Education)• Flex-time (Flexible Work Schedules)• Flexible Place (Telework)

• Now What? Parting Thoughts

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

States are active participants in the workplace flexibility movement

• Workplace Flexibility means that employees and supervisors have some choice and control over when, where, and how work gets done

(Center on Aging and Work)

• Workplace Flexibility is a “win-win” for the employer and employee

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Flex-Time• Flexible work schedule

What Are States Doing To Help?

Flex-Career• Phased retirement

Flex-Leave• Paid Sick• Vacation• Parental leave• Education • Paid Family

Reduced Time• Part time (or part year)• Job Sharing

Flex-Place• Telework

Legislation to give working families more time

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

PAID SICK LEAVE

• Guarantees workers flexibility to deal with unanticipated or irregularly occurring short term illnesses or injuries for them or their family members

• Sick leave can be used by the worker for routine medical and preventive care for themselves or a family member and treatment and counseling for domestic violence

• Paid, job protected leave

• No federal or state laws re: private sector

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

US Workers without Paid Sick Days

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

All Part Time Low Wage Hotel/FoodService

Source: Lovell, 2004 (Does not include Federal Employees)

Workers by Type

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

Paid Sick Leave Legislation

Considered Bills

Passed Laws

San Francisco

Philadelphia

Milwaukee

DC

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

EDUCATION LEAVE

• Guarantees workers flexibility to take time off from work to attend their children’s school conferences or other school functions

• Job protected leave

• May or may not be paid

• No federal laws re: private sector

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

Education Leave Legislation

Considered Bills

Passed Laws

Both

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULES

• Provide workers with flexibility in the scheduling of their work hours

• Examples include: – Flex time: allows workers to shift start and quitting times– Compressed work schedules: work a full-time schedule, in less

than a 5-day traditional workweek by increasing daily hours worked

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

High Wage

Low W

age

What kind of Workers get Flexible Schedules?

Percent that can adjust start and

stop times

Low wage workers have the least access to flexible work schedules

Source: Families and Work Institute, 2006

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?Flexible Schedule Legislation

Considered Bills

Passed Laws

Both

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

0

5

10

15

20

State Agencies

Traffic & Environment

Work Effectiveness

Family Responsibility

Changing Workforce

Wom

en

Older Workers

Private Sector Promotion

Civic Duties

Economic Developm

ent

Why do States enact Flexible Work Legislation?

Number of States

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

TELEWORK

• Working at an alternative worksite that is not the main worksite for some portion of their working hours

• Alternative worksite could be:– Worker’s home– Satellite office– Other location outside of the main work site

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?Telework Legislation

Considered Bills

Passed Laws

Both

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

What Are States Doing To Help?

02468

101214

State Agencies

Traffic & Environment

Work Effectiveness

Private Employers

Vocational Rehabilitation

Family/Dependent Care

Better Life Quality

Financial Benefit/Employees

Why do States enact Telework Legislation?

Number of States

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Agenda

• Why Is It Harder to Balance Work and Family– Workforce Changes– Workplace Changes

• What Is the Impact on Families? – Impact on Children– Impact on Parents

• What Is the Impact on Employers?

• What Are States Doing to Help?– Flexibility in The Workplace with Focus on:

• Flexible Leaves (Paid Sick, Education)• Flex-time (Flexible Work Schedules)• Flexible Place (Telework)

• Now What? Parting Thoughts

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Now What? Parting Thoughts

“Caring for each other is the most basic form of civic

participation. We learn to care for families, and we

enlarge our communities of concern as we mature.

Caring is the essential democratic act, the prerequisite to

voting, joining associations, attending meetings, holding

office and all the other ways we sustain democracy.”

- Deborah Stone, Scholar, 2000

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Now What? Parting Thoughts

Online: www.bc.edu/wfnetwork E-mail: wfnetwork@bc.edu Phone: 617-552-1708 Fax: 617-552-9202

Need more information?Questions?

Contact: Julie Schwartz Weber, Policy Specialist

617-552-1357schwarjc@bc.edu