Workplace Flexibility 2010 Staff & Consultants

Staff and consultants biographies for the event: What an Aging Workforce Can Teach Us About Workplace Flexibility held on July 18, 2005 by Workplace Flexibility 2010

Appendix E: Telecommuting: A Case Study in Public Policy Approaches

Telecommuting: A Case Study in Public Policy Approaches from the event: Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing held April 30, 2008 for Workplace Flexibility 2010

Chandler, Arizona

Highlights from Chandler, Arizona

Federal Employees Part-Time Career Employment Act of 1978: Overview

The Federal Employees Part-Time Career Employment Act aims to utilize the potential of persons who do not work a traditional forty-hour workweek. Having found that part-time permanent employment has a number of benefits,i Congress passed legislation extending part-time career employment opportunities throughout the federal government in 1978

Intermittent Leave and Reduced Schedule Leave Under the Family and Medical Leave Act

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) permits workers who meet certain conditions to take up to 12 weeks per year of unpaid leave for medical or family care reasons. This memorandum discusses the statutes, legislative history and regulations pertinent to intermittent and reduced schedule leave, as well as select case law. To give workers not just the time but also the flexibility to balance the demands of work and family, the FMLA allows workers to take leave on an intermittent basis (e.g., a few hours per week to attend a standing medical appointment) or on a reduced work schedule (e.g., working a three-day week while recovering from cancer). Generally, intermittent leave or reduced schedule leave is provided when medically necessary for an employee’s own serious health condition or for caretaking of certain family members with serious health conditions. In such circumstances, an employee need not obtain the prior approval of his or her employer to take such leave. By contrast, intermittent leave or a reduced schedule leave may be used for care related to the birth/adoption/foster care of a child only if the employer gives prior approval for such arrangements

Benefits, Rights and Features Nondiscrimination Testing and Phased Retirement Programs

Various studies indicate that formal phased retirement programs within defined benefit plans are wanted and needed by both employers and employees. Phased retirement programs may be useful for employees who want to reduce their hours during later stages of their careers, but who wish to remain in the workforce. For employers, a phased retirement program may be a useful tool to retain talented employees who may otherwise fully retire. In designing phased retirement programs, It is not surprising that many employers wish to have significant discretion in deciding which employees they will seek to retain through a phased retirement program. Indeed, the employer may view such discretion as vital to its business needs and interests. Under current law, however, such discretion would generally run contrary to the nondiscrimination requirements under the Internal Revenue Code (Code), which prohibits more favorable treatment of highly compensated employees. This memo explores the history of the Code’s nondiscrimination rules, with a particular focus on the benefits, rights and features test. The memo also considers whether such rules remain appropriate for bona fide phased retirement programs within qualified pension or retirement plans or whether alternative approaches to achieve the social goals of the nondiscrimination rules are possible

Examples of State Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) Laws

Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) alter the time and/or place that work is conducted on a regular basis -- in a manner that is as manageable and predictable as possible for both employees and employers. This document charts examples of state FWA laws

Bills Introduced in the 111th Congress Regarding Flexible Work Arrangements

Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) alter the time and/or place that work is conducted on a regular basis -- in a manner that is as manageable and predictable as possible for both employees and employers. This document charts bills introduced in the 111th Congress regarding flexible work arrangements