Our workforce is changing. More kids are raised in households where both parents work. More students hold down full-time jobs while pursuing a postsecondary degree. More single moms and dads are in the workforce. With so many demands on Americans’ time, it’s no surprise many struggle with work-life balance – and an outdated federal law isn’t making things any easier. The following infographic help... Read more »
For countless Americans, more workplace flexibility could mean better work-life balance. Yet an antiquated federal law prevents private-sector employers from offering workers paid time off, or 'comp time,' in exchange for overtime hours worked. This outdated policy is an impediment to employers who want to help their employees meet the demands of work and family. Meet Karen DeLoach. A bookkeeper f... Read more »
Dear Secretary Duncan: More than a year ago, the Department of Education chose to stop working with Congress to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and instead began issuing temporary, conditional waivers to states. To date, 34 states and the District of Columbia have received waivers; several additional state waiver requests are currently under review. Additionally, the depart... Read more »
Dear Acting-Secretary Harris: On March 19, 2013 we requested documents and communications relating to the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) economic analysis of the new tax penalties created under Sections 1513 and 10106 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to better understand the potential impact on hiring and job creation. The impetus for our letter was employer comments in... Read more »
Dear Secretary Duncan: Over the past four years, the Department of Education has embraced an active regulatory approach to define program quality. We urge you to abandon these efforts and instead let Congress address these issues as part of the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. In 2010 the Department of Education advanced several “program integrity” regulations. Over the last y... Read more »
THE PROBLEM: For many Americans, balancing the demands of family and the workplace can be difficult. State and local government employees have long been able to choose paid time off as compensation for working overtime hours, allowing these public-sector employees greater flexibility to meet family obligations. However, the federal government prohibits private-sector workers from enjoying this sa... Read more »
To help Americans balance the needs of family and work, Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL) introduced the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 (H.R. 1406). This commonsense legislation would allow private-sector workers to choose paid time off or ‘comp time’ instead of cash wages as compensation for working overtime hours. Public-sector employees have enjoyed this benefit for almost 30 years; it’s time p... Read more »
Winter may be over, but more dark days are await the Democrats’ health care law. Contrary to the Obama administration’s promises, headlines suggest more tough times lie ahead as the nation grapples with the consequences of ObamaCare: Health care costs on the rise Medical claims costs – the biggest driver of health insurance premiums – will jump an average 32% for Americans' individual polices unde... Read more »
Dear Acting-Secretary Harris: We are concerned by employer comments recently summarized by the Federal Reserve regarding the potential impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on hiring. On March 6, 2013 the Federal Reserve published its Summary of COmmentary on Current Economic Conditions (also referred to as the "Beige Book") for February 2013, which stated "Employers in ... Read more »
Dear Chairman Pearce and Acting General Counsel Solomon: As you know, the Budget Control Act of 2011 required Congress to enact legislation to achieve deficit reduction levels of at least $1.2 trillion by January 15, 2012. Failure to enact legislation would trigger a sequestration order - automatic, across-the-board spending cuts - to achieve these budgetary deficit-reduction goals. These indiscr... Read more »
