[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16510]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. Harkin):
  S. 3840. A bill to permit employees to request, and to ensure 
employers consider requests for, flexible work terms and conditions, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President:

       We all fill many roles in our lives. We are workers, 
     parents, sons and daughters, and members of our communities. 
     We struggle to do well in each responsibility. But when the 
     demands of work overshadow the rest of our lives, our lives 
     feel out of balance. This legislation gives millions of 
     American workers the opportunity to restore that balance--to 
     be good employees and responsible citizens and family 
     members, too. They deserve no less.--Senator Ted Kennedy 
     delivered these words on December 6, 2007.

  With those words, Senator Kennedy introduced the Working Families 
Flexibility Act in 2007. Today, I continue his essential work by 
reintroducing the legislation he championed.
  Millions of Americans face unbelievable demands on their time due to 
work and familial responsibilities. Thirty years ago, people worked 
fewer hours and it was commonplace for one parent to stay at home while 
the other worked. Today, 70 percent of households are led by either two 
employed parents, or a single parent.
  There are numerous demands on our personal time. Parents spend 
countless hours on childcare, caring for older relatives, doctor's 
appointments, kids sporting events, and school activities--on top of 
putting in a full day at work. Then, there is the time it takes to get 
to work. It is not uncommon for people to spend hours every day in 
their cars, or on some form of public transportation, getting to and 
from work each day.
  These time commitments lead to stress and a loss of productivity. 
According to research compiled by Workplace Flexibility 2010, a public 
policy initiative at Georgetown Law, a staggering 92 percent of 
employees feel they don't have enough flexibility on the job to meet 
the needs of their children and families.
  We need a change. Parents deserve options. We must encourage an 
evolution in the modern workplace to acknowledge the realities of our 
outside time commitments.
  One thing we can do is promote workplace flexibility. Flexibility can 
mean telecommuting, job sharing or part-time work. For workers, this 
flexibility means greater control about when and where they get their 
work done. For employers, it means less turn over, higher morale and 
more productive employees. It is a win-win for both employer and 
employee.
  That is why I am introducing the Workplace Flexibility Fairness Act. 
Long championed by Senator Ted Kennedy, this bill acknowledges the 
realities of our modern workforce by providing employees the ``right to 
request'' flexible work options in terms of hours, schedules and work 
location. Further, the legislation provides employers with flexibility 
by encouraging them to review these requests, propose changes and even 
deny workers if the request is not in the best interest of the 
business. Lastly, the legislation imposes civil penalties on any 
employer who discriminates against an employee for exercising any right 
granted under this legislation. This provision is necessary to protect 
workers who initiate a conversation with their employer about workplace 
flexibility options.
  Countries around the world, including Great Britain, Germany, the 
Netherlands and New Zealand have ``Right to Request'' laws that have 
been shown to increase productivity, attendance and overall job 
satisfaction. It is time for Congress to encourage workplace 
flexibility in the United States. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues in the Senate to pass this common sense legislation.

                          ____________________