Workplace Flexibility 2010 - 1 views
started by Jessica Davis on 26 Apr 11
started by Jessica Davis on 26 Apr 11
started by Jessica Davis on 26 Apr 11
started by Jessica Davis on 26 Apr 11
The intended audience is targeted towards stakeholders including families & caregivers, military families, older workers, low-income workers, people with disabilities, employers and labor representatives. There is a menu on the left-hand side of the site that links the viewer to information aimed to each of these stakeholders. The material provided on the site does seem to be intended for the general public and is easy to read without a required certain level of knowledge.
I couldn't tell who the author of the site is (someone from Georgetown Law), but I can tell from their archives and News Roundup that the site is kept up to date as it appears twice weekly. News Roundup is a section of the site that is a compilation of the latest news articles, reports and other materials related to workplace flexibility. Both Georgetown Law and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation are very credible.
Georgetown University Law Center began in 1870 and was the first law school established in the United States by a Jesuit institution of higher learning. It is located in Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., which offers its students unparalleled access to the Congress, the Supreme Court, and numerous agencies, administrative boards, and commissions of the federal government and the District of Columbia. The Georgetown Law Journal's six annual issues serve as an important forum for the legal community. The Journal also publishes articles on timely issues written by professors and practitioners, produces the Annual Review of Criminal Procedure, coordinates symposia on important topics, and produces thoughtful student notes.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic, not-for-profit grantmaking institution based in New York City. It was established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then-President and CEO of the General Motors Corporation. The Foundation makes grants in support of original research and education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and economic performance. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation focuses on major program areas including basic research, science education, the public understanding of science and technology, digital information technology and the dissemination of knowledge, and select national issues.
The area titled Economic Performance and Quality of Life is where one can learn more about economic institutions, behavior and performance, federal statistics, industry studies, making municipal governments more responsive to their citizens, the science and engineering work force, workplace, work force and working families, and the issue of working longer.
I don't believe that this site has any built-in biases as there are no advertisements for any given product or service. Their social agenda is to view workplace flexibility as part of the resolution to a multitude of pressures challenging American employees and employers. Since 2003, they have worked to invent a knowledge base on workplace flexibility through a logical review of laws impacting workplace flexibility in this country. They make every effort to integrate a diverse array of stakeholders, including business and labor representatives, in unselfish dialogue about reasonable workplace flexibility public policies. In addition, they will also place the foundation for executing meaningful workplace flexibility policy solutions over the next decade.
I've learned several interesting facts while becoming familiar with this site. Workplace Flexibility 2010 and the Berkeley Center on Health, Economic & Family Security (Berkeley CHEFS) have recently issued a report proposing a new national insurance program that would provide wage replacement for time off for health and caregiving needs. Family Security Insurance would meet the universal need to address workers' critical needs-and at the same time, spread the cost fairly, protect the deficit, and keep people working.
In an article from April 16th, 2011 titled "Odd Work Schedules Pose Risk to Health" it was said that people who have rotating shifts are more apt to have problems related to memory and learning. This sort of schedule particularly affects relational memories, which involve the ability to understand how one thing is related to another.
Also mentioned, in addition to drowsiness and inability to concentrate, people working night shifts are more prone to chronic intestinal and heart disease and have been shown to be at a higher risk for cancer. The World Health Organization has classified shift work as a probable carcinogen.
The Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act allow federal agencies to provide two optional flexible work schedules for federal employees. "The Act permits (but does not require) agencies to establish "flexible work schedule" programs and/or "compressed work schedule" programs for their employees." I wonder why this is only granted to federal employees? It would be beneficial for this to be available to all employees.