Our Wake Up! Blog Carnival is happening now. You can write a blog post for Fem2.0 or write a post on your own blog and send us the link. If you’d like to submit a post or host your own blog carnival, please let us know!
This Is Reality, WomenCount, 2.5.10
The reality is that we are all trying to make it work. We are all struggling with childcare, finances, finding work, keeping up with work, trying to be the best parents we can be with sometimes limited time and energy to do so. There is no such thing as a perfect work/life balance. But there is such a thing as friendship, a positive attitude, and doing the best you can.
WomenCount is a non-profit political organization that gives women of all generations and backgrounds from around the United States a powerful voice in the political process. Our organization has two arms: a 527 that will conduct issue-related campaigns and a PAC that will raise and donate funds to candidates for office.
Work-Life Redefined – a Blog Carnival of Ideas, About.com Guide to Working Moms, 2.8.10
Katherine Lewis from About.com Guide to Working Moms is hosting a work-life blog carnival as part of the rolling Fem 2.0 blog carnival this week. She’s thrilled to feature some of my favorite bloggers on the topic. There are a variety of voices and opinions for you, so without further ado: step right up to the carnival!
About.com Guide to Working Moms‘ content is all writen by Katherine Lewis. My goal as the Guide to Working Moms at About.com is to provide concise and useful information, as well as facilitate a community to support and encourage our readers.
My Mother’s Story, Say It, Sister! NOW’s Blog for Equality, 2.8.10
As I’ve been helping my retired mother prepare to move closer to me, it occurs to me just how much her life illustrates the relevance of key feminist issues — such as women’s economic security, their ability to juggle work and family responsibilities and their access to adequate, affordable health care. For more than a decade, I’ve been writing about issues like Social Security, pay equity and caregiving, and as I look closer at my mother’s history, the importance of NOW’s work on these issues becomes clearer than ever.
My mother was not married when she became pregnant with me. The man that my mother was seeing denied being the father (this was long before DNA tests). He even had the nerve to suggest that maybe the real father was her boss — she had confided in my father that this boss was sexually harassing her (though there wasn’t a term for it at the time). My mother never got a penny in child support or any kind of assistance from my "father."
Your Lack of Paid Parental Leave Is a Human Rights Issue: HELP HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PROVE IT, 2.9.10
It’s shameful that the US has the distinction of being only one of only a handful countries in the world without paid maternity leave. A 2010 study of 190 countries shows that at least 177 have legal guarantees for paid parental leave, including 101 countries where national law guarantees 14 or more weeks of pay. Just a few countries fail to guarantee paid parental leave under law, including Australia, Swaziland, the United States, and Papua New Guinea. Starting in 2011, Australia will fall out of these ranks by offering 18 weeks of paid parental leave. In the US, it is largely up to employers to decide whether to offer paid parental leave. Just a few states have laws on paid parental leave, and the Family and Medical Leave Act guarantees only unpaid leave. The vast majority of US workers do not have this benefit, and low-income workers are the least likely to have it.
Work-Life Fit is an Enterprise 2.0 Solution, Authentic Organizations, 2.9.10
This headline could be puzzling… What could possible make Work-Life Fit and Enterprise 2.0 relevant to each other? After all, one is a challenge of the modern workplace, and the other is a challenge to the modern workplace.
They come together because both concepts ask us to redesign our organizations.
Although Enterprise 2.0 and Work-Life Fit strategies do not share all of the same goals, the two initiatives are complementary. Both aim to help us manage an ‘always on’ environment, where resources are used efficiently and effectively, in ways that sustain rather than drain an organization’s capacity. But currently, only work-life fit strategies intend to make work life better for us people.
Do You See Yourself in this Picture?, Speaking of Women’s Rights… 2.9.10
Family-Friendly. Family Values. Family First. Ever notice how saying a word over and over eventually turns it into gobbledygook? Sometimes it seems that way with "family": we all use it, but what do we mean when we say “protect our families”? Or “have a family-friendly workplace”. More fundamentally, what do we mean when we say “family”?
Bottom Line on Work-Life Effectiveness, Catalyst, Inc., 2.9.10
A CEO on Catalyst’s Board of Directors recently told me, “The business world is 24/7/365—people are not.” In managing her employees, she works from that mindset. She places more value on their levels of engagement and productivity and less emphasis on the hours they log at their desks. Why is it that so many people consider this an issue of “work-life balance?” I don’t like to use the word “balance” because it infers that equilibrium is the norm and puts the onus of achieving that equilibrium squarely on the shoulders of the individual.
Catalyst seeks a world that supports and encourages every woman in her career aspirations and places no limits on where her skills and energy can take her. Catalyst works with businesses and the professions to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business.
The Part-time Worker, AFT’s Faculty and College Excellence (FACE), 2.10.10
Every day of my working life, especially since I had children, has been a struggle to devote myself to everything I care about without having any one focus take over my life. Therefore, I have opted to do several jobs "part-time" to achieve a balance between my family, my students, my union work, and my writing.
AFT’s Faculty and College Excellence (FACE) initiative is a national campaign to reverse the crisis in instructional staffing at our nation’s colleges and universities. Through organizing, legislative advocacy and collective bargaining, FACE is designed to achieve various goals for college faculty members.
Let’s start talking about work/family balance, Shyria Coleman, 9to5, 2.10.10
When I think about my friend and 9to5 Atlanta Chapter member Leslie Hudson, I recall a comment she made one day in reference to her then current employer. We were talking about the challenges we faced as single mothers. Leslie expressed frustration over the long hours she was forced to maintain at her job as a chef in a local restaurant.
Work/Life Balance and the LGBT Community, Mombian, 2.10.10
My work/life issues therefore are mostly the same as those faced by people of all gender identities and orientations—finding the time for both work and family, dividing household work with my spouse, and so forth. There is some evidence, however (ably analyzed by sociologist Abbie Goldberg in her Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children), that same-sex couples as a whole divide household work more equitably than opposite-sex ones.
Mombian is a lifestyle site for lesbian moms and other LGBT parents, offering a mix of parenting, politics, diversions, and resources for all our varied roles. Mombian provides parenting tips, children’s activities, book reviews for parents and children, and political news and commentary, all from the perspective of a lesbian mom.
Managing Work and Family is an Early Learning Issue, Birth to Thrive Online, 2.10.10
Three of the nation’s leading experts on the struggles of managing family and work talked today about what kids really think of their working parents, and it seems they think we are stressed. Their talk reminds us that the chaos of the work-family balancing act is also a critical element of early learning, though it doesn’t always get a lot of attention. While researchers, advocates and parents correctly focus on what defines a good early education, efforts to build a quality system should also focus on parents.
Birth to Thrive Online is the definitive site for the latest news, research, ideas and breakthroughs in early learning.
What Do Kids Really Think About Their Working Parents?, Motherlode, 2.10.10
I chatted with Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute, and Joshua Coleman, author of “The Marriage Makeover“ and “The Lazy Husband.” He’s also co-chairman of the Council on Contemporary Families. Our segment was titled “Work/Life and Kids: What Do Kids Really Think About Their Working Parents?”.
In Motherlode, Lisa Belkin tackles it all — homework, friends, sex, baby sitters, eating habits, work-family balance and so much more — subjects culled from the news, from her own experience as a parent, from the latest books and studies and, of course, from reader input.
Work/Life and the Military: What It’s Really Like to Work and Serve, Blue Star Families, 2.10.10
According to Rand studies in 2002 and 2004, military spouses are employed at much lower rates than their civilian counterparts and they make less money for the same work. These differences hold true even when accounting for education (milspouses have slightly more education than their civilian counterparts), age (milspouses are younger), and location (milspouses are more likely to live near major metropolitan areas). Moreover, because military spouses are younger, they are much more likely to have young children at home.
Blue Star Families is a non-partisan, non-profit organization, created by real military families. We are committed to supporting one another through the unique challenges of military service and asking the larger civilian population to help as well, connecting military families regardless of rank, branch of service or physical location, and empowering military family members to create the best personal and family life possible for themselves.
Balancing on Guilt, Career Life Connection, 2.11.10
Today’s guest post is quite timely as I spent yesterday afternoon listening to a radio show where parents discuss how work/life stress affects kids and how that stress is somewhat self-imposed and how guilt plays into it. My take is that parenting is wonderful and also very hard and also simply boring. I try very hard not to do guilt as a parent…it’s unproductive. And I’m lucky to have very supportive friends who understand and know the realities of parenting and are happy to be honest about it
Career Life Connection provides a place for employers and employees to discuss the subject of flexibility in the workplace. With 76% of baby boomers wanting to work flexible jobs as they enter retirement and 79% of mothers wanting to work fewer than 40 hours/week it is no wonder that flexibility has become a hot topic in the workplace.
A Woman’s Nation Demands Changes in Workplace Policy, Linda Meric, 9to5, 2.11.10
There are several words I would use to describe Maria Shriver’s impressive report, “A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything” — compelling, surprising, and maybe even revolutionary. No matter how you describe it, the report has helped re-focus us all on a topic that should be of the highest importance: Women’s workplace equality.
As the report tells us, we’ve reached a transformative moment in American history. Women now make up half of all workers in this country, and mothers are now the breadwinners or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American families.
But what needs to change to make work, well, work for women and their families? How must workplace policy and basic labor standards evolve to meet this new normal?
Working Conditions for Women in U.S. Lag Behind Europe, Say It, Sister! NOW’s Blog for Equality, 2.11.10
While we contemplate our current economy and working conditions in the United States, we realize that a lot of disparities affect women in a uniquely negative way. Here are a few brief examples. First, women in the United States are paid 77 cents for every man’s dollar, regardless of the fact that women now make up the majority of the work force. Revised data released last week from the Labor Department showed that during four months in 2009, women held more jobs than men, and their lead was greatest just in January at 50.3 percent.
Founded in 1966, the National Organization for Women is the largest, most comprehensive feminist advocacy group in the United States. We take action to demand equality for women. We speak up for justice. Say It, Sister! is a place where NOW leaders speak our minds, discuss feminist issues and call women to action.
Everyone Gets Sick, But Many Workers Don’t Get Time to Get Better, SEIU Blog, 2.11.10
The CDC strongly recommends that you stay home if you or your child gets sick, whether it’s with the flu or H1N1 virus. What the CDC doesn’t report is that that’s not an option for a lot of people–they leave this part out. "Most voters assume people have sick leave–that their employers just provide it," said Lake Research Partners’ Anita Sharma during a Fem2.0 podcast discussion last week on work/life policies and issues.
Working families need some kind of backup when caring for others means they can’t be at the office–and acting as a caregiver shouldn’t have to result in the loss of a day’s wages or worse, one’s job. There is a rising recognition that employers need to recognize the changing dynamics of families, and institute guaranteed paid sick days for employees.
Black History Month Challenge: A Youth-Led Jobs Revolution, USW Blog, 2.11.10
Consider this: Of the more than 46 million uninsured Americans, 13.2 million are young adults – the fastest growing segment of citizens without health benefits. Hispanics and blacks are disproportionately impacted: one-third of Hispanics and one-fifth of blacks are uninsured compared to 13 percent of whites.
Behind the sobering statistic of 10 percent nationwide unemployment is this harsh reality: 20 million workers ages 16 to 24 were jobless last year. That’s more than 50 percent of all people in that age group. Unemployment rates for blacks and Hispanics are double that. Imagine the opportunities. Think about the difference in your lives, in your communities. America needs you in this fight, and you need to be in this fight.
The Fem 2.0 Blog Carnival: Shifting the Public Narrative, The Brodsky Blog, 2.11.10
A blog carnival! Get on board for another not-so-thrilling ride on the merry-go-round of “shifting the public narrative”, a/k/a “bringing more attention,” to how we (women) need to have help in balancing work and life! I, for one, am tired of going round and round and round, and up and down, while really staying in one place for nearly 50 years. How much more talk does this really need?
Linda Brodsky is the author of The Brodsky Blog and a respected pediatric surgeon advocate and mentor for the next generation of women doctors.
Generation Y: As In, Why Not Change Now?, Say It, Sister! NOW’s Blog for Equality, 2.12.10
I have lived in a happy little bubble most of my life, but I am not an exception by any means. My story, if not word for word, is the story of many women in Generation Y. I consider myself lucky, because I have a job — and that’s what people in my generation are telling themselves. My peers are clinging to entry level jobs like there’s no tomorrow (because for some people, there is), afraid to make any demands on their workplace for fear of losing the small bit of shelter they have in this economic recession. My generation is going to be the generation that got set back.
Founded in 1966, the National Organization for Women is the largest, most comprehensive feminist advocacy group in the United States. We take action to demand equality for women. We speak up for justice. Say It, Sister! is a place where NOW leaders speak our minds, discuss feminist issues and call women to action.
What Could Be More Exciting?, National Association of Mothers’ Centers, 2.13.10
Yesterday, I asked a co-worker what her plans were for Valentine’s Day. She mentioned that she and her husband didn’t have much planned and that, since they had their baby girl, who is now four months old, she and her husband are not very exciting. That statement hit me as a sad way to think about our roles as parents. What concerns me is that I know that I have had the same thought.
The perspective on the work of parenting in our society seems to be colored by undertones of menial, less important work that gets in the way of the really important stuff we need to do. Yet, what could be more important, critical – and yes, exciting – than raising the next generation? I think we need to reframe how we think of motherhood and fatherhood. When you stop and think about it, it really is one of the most exciting and amazing endeavors a human being can experience in life.
Some Work/Life Facts to Make You Crazy, Feministe, 2.16.10
I’ll let the list speak for itself…
1. 48% of workers do not have paid sick days; 76% of low-wage workers and 80% of part-time workers do not have paid sick days.
2. In 1960 only 10% of mothers worked and only 10% were unmarried. Today 70% of mothers work and 40% of mothers are unmarried.
3. 70% of American children live in households where all adults are employed…
Feministe is one of the oldest feminist blogs online designed by and run by women from the ground up.
An Integrated Flexible Approach to WorkLife Evolution from the Inside Out, WorkLife Nation, 2.22.10
Fem 2.0’s Wake up, This is the Reality radio and blog campaign stirred the pot around discussion of the “new normal” over the last two weeks. A shift is being called for to lay the foundation for better workplace guidelines, employee rights, more flexible working conditions, and sweeping work/life policy change. Fem 2.0’s informative radio programs offered a wealth of knowledge and overview on the status of work life issues, and there were a number of male voices contributing to the conversation to offer the ideas through a different lens. It’s worth heading to the site to check out the material.
WorkLife Nation features individuals, businesses, and the latest innovative programs to help readers integrate life and work concerns while thriving on the threshold of change.
Underneath Work-Life Balance, AAUW Dialog, 2.23.10
Maybe work-life balance is what The Huffington Post referred to as a “banishable buzzword.” I mean, after all, supermoms to singles with no children still seek the “holy grail” of a balance between working life and non-working life. For many of us, the hours we work are up to our employers, not us. You are hired into an environment, but rarely do you get to create it. So instead of looking at work-life balance as an “either-or,” how about looking at it as a “both-and” situation?
AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. Since 1881 the American Association of University Women has been the nation’s leading voice promoting education and equity for women and girls through its research, public policy, legal advocacy, international programs, and fellowships, grants and awards.
Work-Life Balance in a Blizzard, AAUW Dialog, 2.25.10
At my last job, which was at a family-friendly women’s organization, I was expected to show up regardless of what weather or other extreme circumstance arose. Because I was one of the few employees without children, it was generally decided that having me be in the office would allow employees with children to tend to their needs. While I never minded pitching in and giving a little extra, I feel that being “family friendly” shouldn’t come at the expense of employees without family care obligations.
AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. Since 1881 the American Association of University Women has been the nation’s leading voice promoting education and equity for women and girls through its research, public policy, legal advocacy, international programs, and fellowships, grants and awards.