The Telecommuting Mom

A few legislative acts are underway and could mean more assistance to those looking for a flexible work schedule.

Working Mother magazine compiled this list of potential workplace flexibility laws although the article points out that none of the laws are likely to pass this year.

Working Families Flexibility Act (H.R. 1274): This legislation would give employees the right to request flexible work terms and receive a written response from their employer within 14 days.

Family Friendly Workplace Act (H.R. 933): This legislation would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to permit employers to offer employees the choice of receiving paid time off in lieu of overtime wages.

The Family Work Flexibility Act: Aims to amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow employers a business tax credit for the cost of teleworking equipment used by employees to telework and for expenses to maintain such equipment.

The last item, the Family Work Flexibility Act, seems it would have the best measure of success with companies. I’m unsure of the potential of the other two laws. For one, it’s unfortunate that legislation is underway to simply allow an employee the right to request flexible work terms and receive a written response from their employer (which will likely be “no, but thanks for asking.”).

It’s nice to know that some folks are thinking about workplace flexibility options but it still has a long way to go.

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I’ve written about this many times before but it is something that really gets under my skin. In my research I am always uncovering web sites to help parents work from home. Working from home is great but it’s the sites that purport ”Spend more time with your children! Save on the costs of child care!” that I loathe. Many have their heart in the right place but too often these sites lead folks down an unrealistic path.

I’m not sure who these folks are that care for their children and are also employed at home with a successful business. I think parents are kidding themselves if they think that writing a blog post or listening in on a conference call with the mute button pressed while their child colors on the floor next to them is the same as caring for your child. It’s okay to work occasionally when your children are around, in fact, I think it’s good for them to see this side of you. But the idea that you can have a successful career and care for your children at the same time, both from home, is ludicrous. If you think it is possible, I’d love to hear your explanation.

In fact it’s making me rethink my logo, which shows a mom working with a baby at her feet. I suppose when you have a baby you can certainly get more done than with a toddler, and when your children are in school you can get loads accomplished. But I don’t want to reinforce the false idea that working from home means you can have it all. It doesn’t. Work is still work and children still need attention. Child care is necessary.

And when we say that we can work from home while at the same time caring for our children, doesn’t that diminish the role of mother? I don’t consider the “supermom” who says she can do it all to be anything to idolize. For years mothers have been trying to get respect for the hardest job in the world. If we say we can care for our young children at the same time we can run a business, then maybe being a mother isn’t so hard after all. Anyone want to argue that?

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