|
Improving Work-Life Fit in Hourly Jobs
The Center for WorkLife Law
sanctions due to attendance problems. (Henly,
Shaefer & Waxman 2006) Said one manager at
PNC Financial Services Group after adoption
of various flexible policies, "Instead of having
six people call off...we'd rather have you work a
schedule that wouldn't have us taking corrective
action [because of absenteeism]. Most people want
to do the right thing." (Corporate Voices n.d.)
Another issue that arises with no-fault systems is
when employers give employees sick leave--but
then penalize them for using it. "In one nursing
home we studied, nursing assistants received six
sick days a year, but they were penalized anytime
they used a sick day." (N. Gerstel, personal
communication to J. Williams, July 27, 2010)
This seems particularly troubling in a health-care
context, because it means that nurses' assistants
who are sick are forced to report to work and to
expose patients to their illnesses.
Turck, an industrial automation manufacturer,
provides a useful model. It excludes from its no-
fault policy: 1) absences accompanied by a medical
provider statement, 2) absences taken for family
medical leave, and 3) absences that have been
approved by the employee's supervisor. (Geiger
& Potratz 2010) Note that giving points or other
discipline to an employee covered by the Family
and Medical Leave Act who has taken time off in
connection with a serious medical condition is a
violation of federal law. (29 U.S.C. 2601, et seq.)
Telework
A common assumption is that hourly jobs are place-
bound jobs. (Haley-Lock in press) Some are, but
many are not. In fact, much routine white-collar
work can be remote. Estimates of telework among
hourly workers vary widely. One study found that
only 3% of low-wage, and 6% of other hourly
workers, ever work regular hours at home. (Swanberg
2008) A study of eight unionized companies found
much higher levels: 55% of employees with children
under 18, 30% of employees with eldercare, and
38% of employees overall used telecommuting
programs. Usage was higher among professionals,
but 36% of administrative support personnel and
17% of blue-collar workers telecommuted. (Berg &
Kossek 2009)
· Johnson Storing & Moving Co., a Denver
moving company with 400 employees in
five states, was a pioneer in telework for
hourly workers. For the past decade, it
has offered telework to any employee who
seeks it; today 35-40% of its employees
work from home. Many customer
services, billing and collection associates
work from home some or all the time
(although others do not). (Johnson &
Tubaya 2010)
· Marriott's Global Reservation Sales and
Customer Care Center, a 24/7 call center
with 200 sales agents in Salt Lake City,
ran a highly successful pilot to hire 90
customer service reps in rural areas.
Training and team meetings are held
virtually. (Corporate Voices n.d.)
· PNC Financial Services Group, a bank with
2,500 branches and 59,000 employees, hires
part-time telework employees to respond
to customer inquiries by email. Half the
team teleworks at all times; the other half
uses a combination of flexible starting and
stopping times, telework and compressed
workweeks.(Corporate Voices n.d.)
Employees can handle 50% more
cases per day when teleworking
due to the lack of distractions
and interruptions when working
from home.