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Improving Work-Life Fit in Hourly Jobs
The Center for WorkLife Law
Gradual return to work
This policy allows someone returning from childbirth
or other health-related leave to start part-time and
gradually increase to a full-time schedule. A study
of eight unionized organizations found that 32%
of employees with children under age 18, 27% of
employees with elder care responsibilities, and 23%
of employees overall used gradual-return-to-work
policies. Service workers had the highest usage rate:
31%, or nearly a third, used the policy. The next
highest usage was among administrative support
staff: 26%, more than a quarter of employees in
these jobs, took a gradual return to work. (Berg &
Kossek n.d. a)
· Wachovia Corporation allows employees
to return part time, and gradually work
back up to full time, after a leave.
(Litchfield, Swanberg & Sigworth 2004)
· US West offers members of Communi-
cations Workers of American Local 7777
six months of part-time work following
a Care of Newborn leave of absence,
upon mutual agreement of the worker
and immediate supervisor, renewable for
one addition six-month period. (Labor
Project for Working Families n.d.)
· The University of Connecticut allows
parents to work half time for up to six
months following the birth or adoption
of a child; a six-month extension is
subject to supervisor approval. (Labor
Project for Working Families n.d.)
Comp time
Comp time programs allow employees to take time
off instead of receiving pay when they work extra
hours. Employers need to be mindful of relevant
state and federal labor laws when setting up these
programs; in a handful of states (including Alaska,
California, Nevada, and Puerto Rico), state law
requires an overtime premium for work in excess of
8 or 10 hours a day, in addition to the federal law
requirement for work in excess of 40 hours per week.
(U.S. Department of Labor 2010) A study of eight
unionized companies found that 42% of employees
with elder care responsibilities, 46% of employees
with children under 18, and 40% of employees
overall used comp time. The highest usage level was
among police (51%), followed by administrative
support (40%) (Berg & Kossek n.d. a)
· Bottom Line Systems, Inc. (BLS),
provides medical services to 85 client
companies, offers Variable Flex, which
allows associates to alter their schedule on
an as-needed, infrequent basis to attend a
school function, doctor's appointment or
the like. (Swanberg 2010)
Part-year work
Among low-wage workers, 32% are allowed to
work part year; among other hourly workers, this
percentage falls to 21%. (Swanberg 2008) A study
of eight unionized companies found that 42% of
employees with eldercare responsibilities, 13% of
employees with children under 18, and 12% of
employees overall used policies that allow part-year
work. Usage was highest among police (29%); 11%
of blue-collar workers used the policy. (Berg &
Kossek n.d. a)
Service workers used the gradual-
return-to-work policy the most,
followed by administrative staff.