Family Re-Union 5: Family and Work

FAMILY RE-UNION 5:
FAMILY AND WORK
June 24, 1996

This conference tackled the tension and connection between the demands of work and family. Families, corporate and labor leaders, workers and academics addressed the difficult balancing act that families experience and its impact on the workplace and the home. The conference explored strategies such as telecommuting, flexible work schedules, job sharing, the role of quality child care, and workplace attitudes and productivity. Results included:

• A proposal to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act so families can participate in their children's schools and take them and elders in the family to medical appointments.
• A "comp time" proposal that would allow workers discretion to take time off in lieu of compensation for overtime work.
• A Presidential Memorandum required all federal agencies and programs to re-examine and rewrite personnel policies to create a "Family Friendly Federal Workplace." The report, “Turning The Key: Unlocking Human Potential in the Family-Friendly Federal Workplace,” was released in 19