At this briefing, employers, workers and union representatives described why flexible work arrangements have been effective business and workforce strategies, and the hallmarks of successful flexible work arrangements.

Materials:

• Briefing Flyer
• "Highlights from October 23, 2009 Congressional Briefing"

Speakers included:

• Ellen Galinsky, Families and Work Institute
• Amy Richman, WFD Consulting
• Nina Madoo, Marriott International, Inc.
• Deb De Marco Bee, Marriott International, Inc.
• Fiona Grant, Accenture
• Katherine Sleep, List Innovative Solutions, Inc.
• Janice Hallman, AARP

A Diverse Group of Business, Employee and Consumer Representatives will discuss the importance of Flexible Work Arrangements.

Senate Briefing:  10:30 a.m. To 12 p.m., Senate Agricultural Committee Room, Russell 328-A
House Briefing:  3:00 p.m. To 4:30 p.m., Capitol Visitor’s Center, HVC-215
(The same briefing will be conducted for both Senate and House staff.)

Flexible work arrangements play an important role in reducing work/life conflicts so that employees can succeed at work while fulfilling personal and family obligations. At the same time, many employers across the country now recognize that flexible work arrangements are an effective strategy for building a strong, stable workforce and increasing their competitive advantage.

At this briefing, a diverse group of business, employee and consumer representatives will discuss why flexible work arrangements are important for their family members and the issues they represent.

A representative from each of the following organizations will speak at the briefing:

• American Association of People with Disabilities
• AARP
• American Psychological Association
• Corporate Voices for Working Families
• Family Values at Work Consortium
• National Military Family Association
• National Partnership for Women and Families
• Society for Human Resource Management
• United States Chamber of Commerce
• WorldatWork

Workplace innovations to reduce conflicts between work and family responsibilities can improve the health of employees and their families, and may increase productivity and job satisfaction.  Since 2005, the Work, Family & Health Network has engaged in scientific research on the intersection of workplace environments and the health of employees and their families, and how changes in workplace practices can improve the health of workers and their families.  "Workplace Practice, Health and Well-Being," co-sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin and Representative Earl Blumenauer, featured experts from four of the Network’s research institutions on their research and preliminary results.

Inroductory remarks were delievered by:

• Katie Corrigan, Co-Director, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown Law

• Mary L. Durham, PhD, Vice President, Research, Kaiser Permanente, Director, The Center for Health Research

Speakers included:

• Lisa Berkman, Director, Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Thomas D. Cabot Professor of Public Policy, Epidemiology, and Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, “Managers’ Practices Related to Work-Family Balance Predict Employee Cardiovascular Risk and Sleep Duration in Extended Care Settings”

• Susan McHale, Professor of Human Development, Director, Social Science Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, What can we learn about work, family, and health from a daily diary design?

• Ellen Ernst Kossek, University Distinguished Professor, Associate Director, Center for Work-Family Stress, Safety and Health, School of Labor & Industrial Relations, Michigan State University/Portland State University, The Effect of Family Supportive Supervision on Grocery Workers

• Erin Kelly, Associate Professor of Sociology, Co-Director of the Flexible Work & Well-Being Center, University of Minnesota, Work-time Control, Work-Family Conflicts, and Employee Health

The Work, Family and Health Network is composed of interdisciplinary research teams working with corporate partners in several industries. Researchers come from eight institutions: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; Portland State University, Portland, OR; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Harvard University, Boston, MA; Penn State University, University Park, PA; RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC; Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente, Portland, OR; and the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
 

On Wednesday, May 20, 2009, Workplace Flexibility co-hosted a briefing with the New America Foundation and the American Psychological Association on the relationship between workplace flexibility and mental health.   Research demonstrates that employees with workplace flexibility report less stress, better health, and savings for their employers.  By showing the benefits of workplace flexibility, we can hasten the change to a new workplace model, one that works for employers, employees and communities.  At this hearing, we heard from experts on the interaction between work-life conflict and mental health and the impact of work-life balance on the health of workers and their families, employers and communities.  

Introductory remarks were given by Dr. Gwendolyn Keita of American Psychological Association and Workplace Flexibility 2010 Co-Director Katie Corrigan moderated the panel:

• Diane Halpern, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Director, Berger Institute for Work, Family, and Children, & Chair, Department of Psychology, Claremont McKenna College

• Joseph Grzywacz, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine

• David Gray, Director, Workforce and Family Program, New America Foundation

• Shanny Peer, Ph.D., Senior Associate, Families and Work Institute

• Donald W. Kemper, MPH, Founder and CEO, Healthwise

Materials:

• Presentation by Joseph Grzywacz

• Presentation by Diane Halpern

• Wellness Profiles (Families and Work Institute)

• Snapshot of FWI Research on U.S. Employees and Work-Life Fit (Families and Work Institute)

• Highlights from Families and Work Institute's 2008 National Study of Employers (Families and Work Institute)

On Wednesday, May 13, Workplace Flexibility 2010 released a comprehensive set of policy solutions to expand Americans’ access to flexible work arrangements such as compressed workweeks, predictable schedules, and telecommuting.

The report is the culmination of a five-year process of listening to employer, employee and consumer representatives – and provides a detailed blueprint for the White House, Congress and other policymakers to build on innovative workplace flexibility strategies.

The event was held in downton Washington, DC, on the 13th floor of the National Press Club.  Speakers included:

• Chai Feldblum, Co-Director, Workplace Flexibility 2010
• Katie Corrigan, Co-Director, Workplace Flexibility 2010

Press Releases:

• National Partnership for Women and Families

• Society for Human Resource Management

• Workplace Flexibility 2010

Other Media:

• "Report Urges U.S. Government To Boost Workplace Flexibility," by Steve Vogel, Washington Post

• "Paid Sick Days Bill Teed Up; Groups Start Dialogue on Flexibility," by Mark Shoeff Jr, Workforce Management

On December 18, 2008, Workplace Flexibility 2010 brought together a panel of experts on the data, law, and practical experiences of military families.  Speakers identified the needs of military families, the relevant research, and the continuum of work-life challenges these families face during and after military service.  The briefing also highlighted how workplace flexibility is a necessary part of the response to these issues.

Workplace Flexibility 2010 Co-Director and Georgetown Law Professor Chai Feldblum moderated the panel:

• Shelley MacDermid, Ph.D., Director, Military Family Research Institute and the Center for Families, Professor, Purdue University

• Patricia Kempthorne, Founder and Executive Director of the Twiga Foundation

• Sheila Casey, Chief Operating Officer, The Hill

• Kelly B. Hruska, Deputy Director, Government Relations, National Military Family Association

• Barbara Thompson, Director, Office of Family Policy/Children and Youth, Military Community and Family Policy, Office of Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense

• Marcy Karin, Legislative Counsel, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown Law

Media:

• Video of the Briefing

• Video of Subsequent Question and Answer Session

Press:

• "Workplace flexibility discussed at forum," by Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes

Materials:

• An Overview of USERRA and the FMLA's Provisions for Military Families

• A Sampling of Workplace Flexibility Laws and Programs for Military Personnel

On Friday, June 6, Workplace Flexibility 2010 and the New America Foundation presented a briefing on faith and flexibility to a full crowd in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. With bipartisan sponsorship by Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Mark Souder (R-IN), “Workplace Flexibility and Religion” brought together a diverse panel to discuss the importance of a flexible workplace to religious observance. 

Participants:

• Katie Corrigan, Co-Director, Workplace Flexibility 2010

• Rev. Ann Dean, Director, Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats, Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation

• Rabbi Harold S. White, Georgetown University

• Arsalan Iftikhar, Contributing Editor, Islamica Magazine, All Dulles Area Muslim Society

• Rev. David Gray, Director, Workforce and Family Program, New American Foundation

Materials: 

• Dear Colleague Letter

Video:

A Conversation on Workplace Flexibility Research, Business Practice and Public Policy

Conference Materials:

• Letter of Invitation
• Conference Agenda
• Participant List
• Panelist Biographies

The Conference:

• Conference Webcast
• Workplace Structure and Its Impact on Hourly Workers and Their Families
  • Jennifer Swanberg, Ph.D, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky: Low-Wage Workers
  • Maureen Perry Jenkins, Ph.D., Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst, on "the Lives of Hourly Workers and their Families"

• Workplace Structure and Its Impact on Salaried Workers and Their Families

  • Lonnie Golden, Ph.D., Professor, Pennsylvania State University, on the economics of Flexible Work Arrangements
  • Tamar Kremer-Sadlik, Ph.D., Director of Research, UCLA Center on Everyday Lives of Family, on the moral discourse surrounding the work/family conflict

On Wednesday, April 30, Chai Feldblum—Georgetown Law Professor and Co-Director of Workplace Flexibility 2010- testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging at a hearing titled, “Leading by Example:  Making Government a Model for Hiring and Retaining Older Workers.”

Professor Feldblum's testimony outlined the ways in which the federal government has already successfully pioneered workplace flexibility programs -- and is uniquely positioned to establish innovative workplace structures that enable older workers to remain active in the workforce.

Materials:

• Chai Feldblum's Testimony

• Appendix A:  "Definition of Workplace Flexibility"

• Appendix B:  "Federal Employees Part-Time Career Employment Act of 1978"

• Appendix C:  "The Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act (FEFCWA)"

• Appendix D:  "Some Background Information on Workplace Flexibility in Federal Agencies"

• Appendix E:  "Telecommuting:  A Case Study in Public Policy Approaches"

• Appendix F:  "A Sampling of Government Reports on Workplace Flexibility"  

• Selected Events on Workplace Flexibility in the Federal Government

• Flyer

• Agenda

• WF2010 Fact Sheet:  Workers with Disabilities:  The Role of Workplace Flexibility

• Cornell University Presentation

• Families and Work Institute Presentation

• Panelist Biographies

• Webcast

Co-sponsored by Senators Mike Dewine (R-OH) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Workplace Flexibility 2010 and New America Foundation brought together a panel of experts for a briefing on the implications of work-family tensions on children, with a particular focus on the role of fathers.  The briefing also highlighted how workplace flexibility is a necessary part of the response to this issue.

David Gray of the New America Foundation and Dr. Jean Flatley McGuire moderated the panel:

• Barbara Schneider, Ph.D., John A. Hannah University Distinguished Professor in the College of Education and Sociology, Michigan State University

• Shelley M. MacDermid, Ph.D., Professor of Child Development and Family Studies, Purdue University 

• David M. Almeida, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University

Materials:

• Flyer
• Agenda
• Biographies
• WF 2010 Fact Sheet:  Promoting Children's Well Being:  The Need for Workplace Flexibility
• Resources for Workplace Flexibility, Families and Child Development

Dirksen Senate Office Building

Co-sponsored by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)

• Flyer
• Agenda
• Biographies
• Fact Sheet on Meeting the Needs of Today's Families: The Role of Workplace Flexibility
• Bibliography for the Fact Sheet

Additional Resources:

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation National Initiative on Workplace Flexibility

The Flexible Work and Well-Being Study at the University of Minnesota

Book Announcement: Being Together, Working Apart: Dual-Career Families and the Work-Life Balance

Families and Work Institute: National Study of Employers

Families and Work Institute: Highlights of the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce

Families and Work Institute: When Work Works

Corporate Voices for Working Families - Report on Business Impacts of Flexibility: An Imperative for Expansion

Sloan Work and Family Research Network at Boston College

Center on Aging and Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College

U.S. Capitol

A panel of experts highlight the role that flexible workplaces can play in responding to the challenges of an aging workforce. Academic researchers explain the economic, demographic and social trends that can and should affect the development of policy in this arena.

Program

Letter to Members of Congress

Agenda

Panelists Bios

Chai R. Feldblum, J.D

• Professor Feldblum's comments
• Workplace Flexibility 2010 Staff & Consultants
• Workplace Flexibility 2010 Fact Sheet: Older Workers and the Need for Workplace Flexibility

Kathleen Christensen, PhD

• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's National Initiative on Workplace Flexibility
• Issue Brief: Flexible Work Options and Older Workers

Robert Hutchens, PhD, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University

• Charts:
  • Population Pyramids for the United States
  • Labor force participation rates of men age 55 and over, annual averages, 1963-2003
  • Labor force participation rates of women age 55 and over, annual averages, 1963-2003

Michael A. Smyer, PhD & Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, PhD, Sloan Center for Flexible Work Options and Older Workers, Boston College

• Perspectives: Older Workers' Priorities and Preferences
• Perspectives: Aligning Business Needs with Older Workers' Preferences and Priorities
• The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College

Robert B. Hudson, PhD, Graduate School of Social Work, Boston University

• Remarks on What an Aging Workforce Can Teach Us About Workplace Flexibility

Phyllis Moen, PhD, Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota

• Beyond Mystiques and Mismatches: Unpacking Retirement and Work

University of Minnesota

Program
Chai Feldblum's Keynote (RealPlayer)
Marc Freedman's Keynote (RealPlayer)
Flexible Retirement-Views from the Trenches (RealPlayer)
Flexible Work-Views from the Trenches (RealPlayer)
A Flexible Future-Next Steps? (RealPlayer)

Director Chai Feldblum discusses mature workers' need for workplace flexibility.

Transcript of the broadcast

Panel discussion about families, work, and public policy from the Russell Sage Foundation and the CUNY Center for Urban Research. Director Chai Feldblum contributed as a panelist.

Panel webcast (RealVideo)
Hear Professor Chai Feldblum talk about Workplace Flexibility 2010 (RealVideo)
Q&A discussion (RealVideo)
Presentation: Gornick & Meyers
Presentation: Gerson & Jacobs
Presentation: Presser

As part of its effort to develop a comprehensive national policy on workplace flexibility, Workplace Flexibility 2010, hosted a panel discussion in Washington, DC.

Archived Webcast

List of Speakers

Press Release

Patti Giglio, Legal Times
What's a billable hour? Firms are starting to realize that even lawyers on the partnership track might want some flexiblilty in the hours they work for the firm. It could actually lead to higher profits, say some proponents of "balanced hours."

Read the full report.