Committee Statements

Good morning and thank you, Chairwoman Woolsey.

As you have noted, we are here today for the first Subcommittee hearing of the 111th Congress.  I look forward to working with you, Madame Chair, as we consider many of the important issues confronting today’s workforce.

I would like to begin by thanking our distinguished panel of witnesses for appearing today.  We appreciate that they have taken time out of their busy schedules to share their expertise and experiences with us.

Workplace flexibility and work/life benefits have become a bottom line issue for many companies, becoming critical components of workplace effectiveness and attracting human capital.  Research has shown that such programs can boost motivation, productivity and morale for workers, and I would suggest that most employers understand the effectiveness and necessity of having a family-friendly workplace.

And while this issue remains an important one for many American workers, it is not surprising, given the current state of the economy, that job security has surpassed work-family balance as the top concern for a majority of workers.

Many workers are increasingly concerned about losing their jobs, not having enough money to pay the bills, and seeing their retirement accounts shrink.  Nearly half of those surveyed in a recent Associated Press poll said they worry about becoming unemployed – almost double the percentage at this time last year.

As we engage in policy discussions about workplace benefits and coverage, we must not ignore the implications of placing costly government-imposed mandates on employers, many of whom are small businesses trying to stay afloat in the current economic climate.  The reality is that businesses today are struggling with shrinking budgets, tightened credit, decreased demand for their products and services, and now a federal budget proposal that will drastically increase taxes on small businesses.

Mandating new benefits, and thereby increasing the cost of labor, may well have the effect of jeopardizing many employers’ ability to maintain employment levels and further stifle job creation and opportunity.  Having Congress dictate a “one-size-fits-all” labor structure for all businesses will eventually limit creative work arrangements between employers and their employees.

What can be done to encourage the creation of work environments that are family-friendly and flexible, and yet meet the needs of the workers and the considerations of the business?  We might want to begin by looking at removing obstacles in outdated federal laws and regulations that complicate or even prevent employers from working out flexible arrangements with their employees.   For example, legislation has been introduced by our distinguished colleague from Washington state, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, which would allow private sector workers to enjoy the same right that public sector workers already have – that is, to choose for themselves whether to take overtime pay as cash wages, or to bank it as paid time off, at their discretion.

Employees have different needs throughout their careers.  Some may desire flexible work schedules to accommodate the needs of young children.

Others may have elderly relatives to care for, or a desire to upgrade and expand their job skills or education.  Likewise, employers have different business considerations based on the type or size of the company.

In light of today’s trying economic circumstances, we should be mindful of the realities facing businesses.  When we do, then the challenge for policy-makers is to find ways to encourage the availability of family-friendly programs, without interfering at the federal level in ways that are counterproductive to workers or employers.

I again welcome our witnesses and look forward to their testimony. 

 

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