Work-life balance in the news

While driving to the office this morning I heard some comforting words from our First Lady, Michelle Obama. Quoted on a NPR piece, More Employers Make Room for Work-life Balance, the first lady commented that, “this isn’t just about family balance, this is about making workplaces stronger and attracting the most qualified people.” It’s true! flexible work schedules are good for families and businesses – it only makes sense to enact policies that helps businesses stay competitive and helps families strike a balance.

The piece further goes on the point out that, “U.S. labor laws are perfectly suited to 1960, says University of Minnesota sociologist Phyllis Moen. The 40-hour workweek and 9-to-5 workday were all codified in an era when men went off to an assembly line and women stayed home.”

And paid sick days is one of the myriad policies that will help bring our labor standards into the new era – it’s good to know that we are moving in the right direction, even if we are a few decades behind.