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Women with infants are one of the fastest-growing segments in the U.S. workforce. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 31 percent of mothers with children under a year old worked in 1976; this number grew to 55 percent in 2002.
Three out of four women with children are in the workforce
The Journal of Managerial Issues also found that companies that offered a telework program had greater profits than those that did not offer such benefits.
The United States joins Australia and New Zealand as the only industrialized nations that do not provide paid maternity leave and health benefits by law, according the International Labor Organization. Women in the U.S., depending on the size of the company, can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave each year for childbirth or the adoption of a child under the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993…that is it.
Two incomes is a necessity in many households.
A recent ABC News Poll even pointed out that nearly 14% of employees have left a job simply because of the commute.
Responding to this need of family-friendly employment is a new resource to help weed through the sea of non-legitimate family friendly jobs. New England Mother’s Organization lists part-time, tele-commute, job share, and family friendly employment listings each week on their job board. It is free to members who access the site through the site, www.nemothers.org. It is also a wonderful resource to find lifestyle listings and advocates for work-life issues.
Not just job seekers benefit from this local resource, employers will gain lots of exposure to their listings and "flexible jobs" are truly a hot benefit in what seekers are looking for in a position. Newscasts commonly report on the fact that the parent of today is looking for flexibility in the workplace. Top companies like IBM, S.C. Johnson & Son, SAS, and Wachovia Corporation know that it pays to offer a family-friendly/company culture. Statistics show a significant increase in employee retention, job satisfaction and productivity. When the Swedish furniture-maker, IKEA, with U.S. headquarters in Plymouth Meeting, PA, started incorporating family-friendly benefits like full benefits, including health care, to all employees working at least 20 hours per week, it’s employee turnover rates dropped over the past three years from 76 percent to 36 percent.
Back in the fall of last year, Jeanne Girard, realized that this was an issue that struck home. Girard has a flexible job as the director of an environmental, non-profit organization, The Westport Fishermen’s Association and a 2-year old son. "Because of my flexible position, many people commented to me that they would also like to find a similar opportunity. They wished they had some flexibility or could work part-time so that they could contribute financially to the household but also be with their children more." Girard continues, "I was fortunate to have a flexible, family-friendly job but wanted to help others connect with those type of opportunities."
New England Mothers Organization (N.E.M.O.) was born. "I have always worked in the non-profit sector and wanted to do something to help with this social/work issue. N.E.M.O. offers members access to a weekly list of flexible job listings, which is accessed on the web. Employers can list their family-friendly positions. Whether full-time, part-time, or virtual opportunities. Jobs are updated weekly and members look at the site and reply directly to the employer.
N.E.M.O. has over 1,000 members in the New England area since officially starting in the spring of this year. Girard notes, "N.E.M.O. is free of charge to job seekers. We have about a dozen new members sign on daily. It really resonated with parents and serves an incredible need of connecting family-friendly employers to the talented and motivated job applicants." Flexible work schedules are the new benefit in an employers package. It is increasingly becoming as looked for in a package just as much as insurance. Savvy employers know flexible scheduling is an instrumental offering to recruiting top employees.
N.E.M.O. is also taking on the challenge of staying on top of legislative and family/work life issues for the area. The hope is that businesses and members will utilize N.E.M.O. as a one stop resource site for work/life issues. N.E.M.O. serves all states.
For more information on N.E.M.O. visit their website at http://www.nemothers.org You can also e-mail jamgirard@msn.com
An advocate on work-life balance issues and founder of New England Mothers Organization. A veteran in nonprofit management having worked on health, social, and cultural change. Once a columnist for the Providence Journal, Ms. Girard now spends her time focused on family and helping others find work-life balance. She can be reached through her website, http://www.nemothers.org or e-mail jamgirard@msn.com
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