[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 154 (Friday, October 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING OCTOBER AS NATIONAL WORK AND FAMILY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TODD RUSSELL PLATTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 14, 2011

  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the month of 
October as National Work and Family Month (NWFM). NWFM was established 
in 2003 and is the centerpiece of a national education campaign to 
raise awareness among employers about the value of work-life 
integration. NWFM encourages all workplaces to pause once a year to 
communicate and celebrate the progress already made on the journey to 
creating healthier and more flexible work environments, and then raise 
the bar to accomplish even more over the coming year.
  We know that high quality work-family policies--including those 
related to workplace flexibility, military family flexibility, 
dependent care, health and wellness, and paid and unpaid time off--are 
highly effective in attracting, motivating, and retaining a talented 
workforce. Congress has acknowledged the importance of these policies 
in 2009 and 2010 when both chambers of Congress passed bipartisan 
resolutions recognizing NWFM. This year, I encourage all of my 
colleagues, as well as my fellow Americans, to take time this month to 
acknowledge the importance of a healthy balance between work and family 
life.

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