This week the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 768, expressing support for the designation of the month of October as “National Work and Family Month.”  It is a simple resolution that does a few good things:

• Recognizes the importance of balancing work and family to job productivity and healthy families;
• Recognizes that an important job characteristic is a work schedule that allows employees to spend time with families;
• Supports the goals and ideals of `National Work and Family Month’, and urges public officials, employers, employees, and the general public to work together to achieve more balance between work and family; and
• Requests that the President issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe `National Work and Family Month’ with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Nearly everyone understands that our work force is dramatically different than it was decades ago.  The findings included in the House Resolution also make the point that “85 percent of United States wage and salaried workers have immediate, day-to-day family responsibilities outside their jobs and job flexibility allows parents to be more involved in their children’s lives.”

Unfortunately House Resolutions have little teeth – they are good talking points and certainly help to bring attention to important issues.  But Congress needs to take this resolution one step further and actually support and pass policies that back up these ideas, without imposing new mandates on our businesses.

For one, we need more flexible work arrangements – as the Resolution suggests.  Many families struggle to balance work and family, making sure they have enough time off to care for a sick child or attend a soccer game.  We need to give private sector hourly employees the option to take time off in lieu of overtime wages, a benefit that our federal government employees have enjoyed for three decades. 

Working families, men and women, will continue to re-shape and re-define our workforce.  We need to make sure that our laws can keep up with the changes.  What do you think?

2 Responses to “October is National Work and Family Month”

1. Lisa Dolan Says:
   October 15th, 2009 at 12:38 pm

   As a business owner and mother, I am a big proponent of flexible benefits. However this is just an “empty suit” Resolution. Your point is well taken that the private sector should be able to take advantage of what the government employees have been doing for decades, to wit: the option to take time off in lieu of OT wages. This and many other types of “flexible benefits” should come without additional mandates or hardship to small business.

2. Brian W. Says:
   October 20th, 2009 at 1:46 pm

   I agree with Lisa: these Congressional resolutions tend to be meaningless.

   I hope Congress starts to wake up. Instead of passing these toothless resolutions (nice metaphor, Terry!), they should start dismantling the burdensome regulations that are plaguing America’s small businesses.

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