[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2525]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SUPPORTING NATIONAL WORK AND FAMILY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 13, 2009

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in 
support of H. Res. 768, ``Expressing support for the designation of the 
month of October as National Work and Family Month'' I would like to 
thank my colleague, Rep. McCarthy, for introducing this act of 
solidarity, as well as the co-sponsors.
  It is well established that employees who are able to effectively 
balance family and work responsibilities feel healthier and more 
successful in their relationships with their spouses, children, and 
friends. The quality of workers' jobs and the supportiveness of their 
workplaces are key predictors of job productivity, job satisfaction, 
commitment to employers, and retention; employees who are able to 
effectively balance family and work responsibilities are less likely to 
report making mistakes or feeling resentment toward employers and 
coworkers. These workers are also engaged and less likely to look for a 
new job in the next year, and also enjoy better overall health, better 
mental health, and lower levels of stress.
  It is not only at the office that this balance makes a difference--
job flexibility often allows parents to be more involved in their 
children's lives, and parental involvement is associated with higher 
child achievement in language and mathematics, improved behavior, 
greater academic persistence, and lower dropout rates. Conversely, a 
lack of job flexibility for parents negatively affects child health by 
preventing children from making needed doctors' appointments and 
receiving adequate early care, which makes illnesses more severe and 
prolonged.
  American workers know this firsthand. That's why research by the 
Radcliffe Public Policy Center in 2000 found that men in their 20s and 
30s and women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s identified as the most 
important job characteristic a work schedule that allows them to spend 
time with their families. According to research by the Sloan Center for 
Aging and Work, a majority of workers age 53 and older attribute their 
success as an employee, by a great or moderate extent, to job 
flexibility, and also report that, to a great extent, job flexibility 
contributes to an overall higher quality of life.
  In a 2009 survey entitled ``Great Expectations! What Students Want in 
an Employer and How Federal Agencies Can Deliver It'', attaining a 
healthy work-life balance was an important career goal of 66 percent of 
respondents, and a 2008 study entitled ``A Golden Opportunity'', which 
found that workers between the ages of 50 and 65 are a strong source of 
experienced talent for the Federal workforce and that nearly 50 percent 
of these potential workers find flexible work schedules ``extremely 
appealing''. According to the 2006 American Community Survey, 47 
percent of wage and salaried workers are parents with children under 
the age of 18 who live with them at least half-time.
  Since 85 percent of United States wage and salaried workers have 
immediate, day-to-day family responsibilities outside of their jobs, 
efforts to help workers achieve this balance is of no small importance 
to the prosperity of our nation. As an example, from 2001 to early 
2008, 1,700,000 active duty troops have served in Iraq and 600,000 
members of the National Guard and Reserve (133,000 on more than one 
tour) have been called up to serve, creating a need for policies and 
programs to help military families adjust to the realities that come 
with having a family member in the military.
  This resolution supports the designation of ``National Work and 
Family Month''; recognizes the importance of balancing work and family 
to job productivity and healthy families; recognizes that an important 
job characteristic is a work schedule that allows employees to spend 
time with families; supports the goals and ideals of ``National Work 
and Family Month'', and urges public officials, employers, employees, 
and the general public to work together to achieve more balance between 
work and family; and requests that the President issue a proclamation 
calling upon the people of the United States to observe ``National Work 
and Family Month'' with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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