On March 6, Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL) introduced the Family Time Flexibility Act, a bill that would amend the depression-era Fair Labor Standards Act, and give working men and women more power and control over their lives.
The Independent Women’s Forum has always encouraged the federal government to lead the way on telecommuting and other “family-friendly” policies. In our Agenda for Women 2003, we state: “IWF believes that women should be afforded flexibility in their jobs so they can meet the competing demands of work and family and thus improve their quality of life. Many organizations are recognizing the importance of such policies as telecommuting. Technologies have emerged to assist women in conducting their work from remote locations.
Jobs today do not have to be onesize-fits-all; they can be tailored to meet the needs of the employee as well as the employer. This evolution in job requirements is a necessary and important step in recruiting and retaining high caliber staff.”
It is encouraging that some on Capitol Hill share IWF’s goal of creating a flexible, family-friendly workplace based on free market principles.