Work and Family Policy Reports

• A Comprehensive Public Policy Platform on Flexible Work Arrangements (November 2009)
  Workplace Flexibility 2010’s Public Policy Platform on Flexible Work Arrangements provides a comprehensive set of policy solutions to expand Americans’ access to flexible work arrangements such as telework, predictable schedules, and compressed workweeks. The common-ground solutions described in the report can benefit both working families and businesses.
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• Making Government Work for Families: The FederalGovernment's Role as Employer and Contractor in Improving Family-Friendly Policies (July 2009)
  This report highlights the growing and changing nature of the federal contractor workforce from a manufacturing workforce to a service oriented workforce. This report discusses how current laws and policies requiring federal contractors to provide equity and a standard level of benefits for their employees need to be revised to include family-friendly policies.
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• Work-Life Conflict in Canada in the New Millennium:Key Findings and Recommendations From The 2001 National Work-Life (December 2008)
  The sample for the 'National Study on Balancing Work and Family' was drawn from 100 Canadian companies with 500+ employees.  This study has given business and labor leaders, policy makers and academics an objective 'big picture' view of work-life conflict. This report, the final in the series of six reports, provides a summary of the key findings and recommendations arising from this research program.
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• Work-Life Policies for the Twenty First Century Economy (May 2008)
  The U.S. economy, workplace, workforce, and labor market have changed radically in the last 50 years, yet our public and private policies have not kept up with these changes. In recent years, policymakers have begun considering new options for allowing workers to meet the often-conflicting demands of work and other life obligations. These proposals include a variety of options for time off from work—both paid and unpaid—and more flexibility in the workplace. In this report, we review the evidence regarding work-life conflicts, the economic case for policy initiatives, and evidence of effectiveness of the policy options. We provide a clear explanation of these policy options and make recommendations for decision-makers.
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• Tax Credits and Public Benefits: Complementary Approaches to Supporting Low-Income Families (April 2008)
  There is increasing recognition that a substantial fraction of the U.S. workforce is employed at jobs that do not pay enough to allow them to provide for all of their families’ basic needs. Government can play an important role in bridging the gap between what these workers can earn and the necessities of life through work supports structured either as public benefit programs such as food stamps and child care vouchers, or as tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the dependent care tax credit.
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• "Opting out"? The effect of children on women's employment in the United States (January 2008)
  This paper uses data from the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Survey (ASEC) to examine whether children cause women to exit employment.
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• A Working Families Credit for Washington State (January 2008)
  The Washington State Budget and Policy Center outlines its plan to assist low wage working families by providing a Working Families Credit. This initiative would allow for 350,000 Washington residents to receive the equivalent of 10% of their federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) refund.
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• The Healthy Families Act Fact Sheet (October 2007)
  The Healthy Families Act will guarantee workers seven paid sick days a year to recover
  from their own illness or to care for a sick family member. It also provides paid sick time for diagnostic and medical appointments.
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• Working Families Need Paid Family and Medical Leave (October 2007)
  This fact sheet details the bipartisan Family Leave Insurance Act, recently introduced by Sen. Dodd and Sen. Stevens (S. 1681) would provide 8 weeks of partially paid leave, paid for by employer and worker contributions.
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•  Know Your State Family Leave Laws (Updated August 2007)
  Family-friendly laws may exist in your state. Netsy Firestein, Executive Director of the Labor Project for Working Families, has presented a report listing Family Leave Laws by state.
  View the List »
   
•  Where Families Matter: State Progress Toward Valuing America’s Families
  This report provides a comprehensive overview of the paid family and medical leave initiatives that have been introduced, including the scope and status of the initiative, in state legislatures that had paid leave initiatives before them in 2005.
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• The Progressive States Network Report (August 2007)
  The Progressive States Network issued a report on positive gains as well as minor state-backs among states regarding protecting working families. States that have taken the lead in the policy arena to address work-family issues are highlighted.
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• Department of Labor Releases Report on Family and Medical Leave Act (June 2007)
  The U.S. Department of Labor released a report on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which describes the how employees and employers view the implementation of the Act. Many employees reported that it was working well but felt it needed to be expanded to provide paid leave or to cover the care of more family members.
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• A Legislator’s Guide to Paid Sick Days Legislation
  The Center for Law and Social Policy and the Women’s Legislators’ Lobby compiled this guide to assist legislators in thinking through all the provisions that encompass paid sick day legislation. The guide is intended to help legislators in crafting legislation.
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• Subcommittee Hearing on Establishing Policies to Support Families (June 2007)
  The House Workforce Protections Subcommittee convened to learn about policies that would assist workers in balancing work and family life. Parental leave, flexible work schedules, fair wages, and after school programs were just a few of the policy changes discussed at the hearing.
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• U.S. Senate Hearing on Importance of Work-Family Policies (June 2007)
  The U.S. Senate hosts a hearing on the economic implications of establishing work-family policies. The hearing included testimonies to the ecomomic success of other countries that have implemented work-family policies.
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• National Council on Family Relations: Families and work-life policy (2007)
  This brief discusses the importance of initiating and enacting policies that assist families in balancing work and family responsibilities. The National Council on Family Relations reports on the negative consequences of family and work-life stress and how policies can mitigate the repercussions.
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• Selected Issues in Work-Family Policy: A brief overview (2007)
  This report was created by the Hawaii legislature in an attempt to study other states’ laws and practiced identified as promoting good work-family policy. Issues include family and medical leave, caregiving, and child care.
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• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission examines caregiver discrimination (May 2007)
  This brief discusses how workers who are primary caregivers for children or elderly parents face discrimination in the workplace. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission seeks to enforce laws used to combat caregiver discrimination.
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• Getting Real About Families: An agenda for shared prosperity forum (May 2007)
  Sponsored by the EPI and The American Prospect Magazine, this website summarizes a recent discussion about what the U.S. can do to get serious about giving working parents the help and support they need in their efforts to provide for their families. Janet Gornick, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, and Heidi Hatmann are among the speakers. Written transcripts, PowerPoint Presentations, and audio clips are available.
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• Work-Family Policy: Its Critical Impact on American Women and Families
  This slideshow, created by Jody Heymann, illustrates workforce demographics, consequences of inadequate working conditions and supports, as well as The Work, Family, and Equity Index goals and findings.
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• Work and Family Directions in the USA and Australia: A Policy Research Agenda (February 2007)
  This journal article provides a comparative overview of work and family issues in Australia and the United States as well as a look at work and family policies that exist.
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• Increasing Minimum Wage: Helping Working Families Escape Poverty (January 2007)
  This brief discusses how an increase in minimum wage would assist low wage working families. A higher minimum wage would help full-time working families escape poverty.
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• Paid Sick Days Legislation: A Legislators’ Guide (November 2006)
  This guide is intended to help legislators think through the provisions that make up paid sick days legislation.
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• Getting Punched: The Job and Family Clock (July 2006)
  This paper explores how government might foster new ways to organize jobs so that all workers—including those with low wages—can punch the job and family clock.
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• International Review of Leave Policies and Related Research, Employment Relations Research Series No. 57 (2006)
  This report provides an overview of leave policies and related research in 22 countries.
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• “Opt Out” or Pushed Out?: How the Press Covers Work/Family Conflict, The Untold Story of Why Women Leave the Workforce (2006)
  This report by Joan C. Williams, Jessica Manvell, and Stephanie Bornstein at the Center for WorkLife Law, UC Hastings College of the Law, questions the "myth" perpetuated by the press that moms leave the workplace as a "choice."
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• Maternity at work: A review of national legislation (2005)
  This report reviews the status and progress of maternity legislation around the country.
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