Transforming the Workplace

This article from last week’s New York Times mentions two of our partner companies for being front-runners in the anywhere, anytime office set up. Bank of America and IBM are specifically mentioned in this story for having a flexible office setup—like unassigned work spaces and mobile platforms. It also suggests that one company has saved about $10 million a year with a non-assigned work space arrangement.

The article states:

“Employers benefit from these setups, too, both by cutting real estate costs and by increasing their appeal to younger works who tend to prefer jobs that let them work anywhere and any time.”

A 2005 Corporate Voices study found that flexible work arrangements can not only save the business money over time and produce satisfied workers, but can benefit the customer by offering perks such as extended hours.

Other research and papers about workplace flexibility are available at the Corporate Voices for Working Families website.

By Allison Tomei

Congressman Rangel introduces tax credit legislation

Corporate Voices had two significant successes on Capitol Hill last week.  Congressman Charles Rangel (D – NY), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced a bill Thursday, Sept. 25, that would provide a tax credit to companies that hire disconnected youth. Corporate Voices for Working Families and its partner companies have identified this tax incentive as a critical element of an alternative pathway for disconnected youth. We are delighted to see this recommendation move one step closer to law. 

Earlier in the week Corporate Voices in conjunction with the American Business Collaboration played a key role leading to the introduction of legislation aimed at increasing the spending limits on Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSA).

Regarding the legislation involving a tax credit, we will continue to work with Congressman Rangel and others on the House Ways and Means Committee to ensure that the bill is re-introduced in the 111th Congress and that it is passed into law.  We expect the congressman to hold hearings on this issue early next year.  Corporate Voices will also be working to craft an additional proposal that would provide a smaller incentive to companies that target early work experiences – mentoring programs, apprenticeships and internships – to disconnected youth.

We appreciate the strong support that we have received on this issue from members of our legislative committee and others, including Accenture, Marriott, TJX, CVS and H-E-B Grocery. 

 

Corporate Voices initiative leads to DCFSA legislation

Corporate Voices for Working Families, along with the American Business Collaboration (ABC), has been successful in working with members of Congress to introduce legislation that, when passed, will increase the spending limits on Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSA).

Representatives Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN) introduced Wednesday H.R. 7035 to amend the Internal Revenue Tax Code to raise the annual limit on dependent care expenditures from $5,000 to $7,500. DCFSA spending limits have not been increased in two decades.

For Corporate Voices for Working Families this has been a priority focus of our legislative efforts for more than a year. And working in conjunction with ABC, the members of our Legislative Committee and others, we were successful in helping to draft this legislation and gaining bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

Here’s the text of the news release we distributed yesterday following the introduction of the legislation.

Corporate Voices for Working Families Supports Legislation to Increase Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Limits

Washington, D.C., September 24 – Corporate Voices for Working Families (CVWF) and American Business Collaboration (ABC) applauds Representatives Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN) who introduced today H.R. 7035 to amend the Internal Revenue Code to increase dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA) limits.

The legislation proposes an increase in the cap on DCFSA from the current maximum of $5,000 a year—a figure that has been unchanged since 1986—to $7,500 a year.  In today’s dollars, this tax benefit is worth only $2,800, while the average cost of care for an infant ranges from $4,000 to $14,000 a year.

“DCFSA is a powerful tool that benefits working families, but inflation has reduced its effectiveness,” Donna Klein, president and founder of Corporate Voices for Working Families, said. “Congress should raise contribution limits to ensure quality care for children, dependent elderly and the disabled.”

by Rob Jewell

Corporate Voices corporate partners among Working Mother “Best Companies”

Congratulations to 27 of our corporate partners that were honored by Working Mother Media for being among the 100 best companies for working mothers in 2008.

Achieving this recognition follows a rigorous application and review process — and a continuing commitment to family friendly policies. Here’s some background:

Companies were selected for the 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Companies based on an extensive application with more than 500 questions. The application included detailed questions about work force, compensation, child care, flexibility programs, leave policies and more. It also checked the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. Seven areas were measured and scored: work force profile, compensation, child care, flexibility, time off and leaves, family-friendly programs, and company culture. For this year’s 100 Best, particular weight was given to family-friendly policies, flexibility, leave policies and benefits for part-time employees. 

Congratulations to the Corporate Voices’ partner companies that were honored with this prestigious recognition:

 

• Abbott
• Accenture
• Allstate Insurance Company
• AstraZeneca
• Bank of America
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• Citi
• Deloitte
• Discovery Communications
• Eli Lilly and Company
• Ernst & Young
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Goldman, Sachs & Co.
• Hewlett Packard
• IBM
• Johnson & Johnson
• JPMorgan Chase
• KPMG
• Lehman Brothers
• Marriott International
• Merck & Co.
• Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
• Morgan Stanley
• Phoenix Companies
• PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
• Texas Instruments
• Wachovia

by Rob Jewell

Best of Congress breakfast honors Congressional leadership on working family issues

Corporate Voices for Working Families put the spotlight on issues involving working families by joining with Working Mother Media to host the inaugural Best of Congress Award breakfast September 10 in Washington at the Sewall-Belmont House. Fourteen members of Congress attended to accept the recognition. And in total more than 140 people – many from our partner companies and sponsoring organizations – joined in the celebration.

And as Donna Klein, president and founder of Corporate Voices for Working Families, said:

 It really was a celebration of what can be accomplished for working families when you combine congressional leadership with business advocacy.

When Corporate Voices for Working Families and Working Mother Media partnered to launch this award our goals were important – yet fairly modest. We wanted to elevate the discussion and policy debate on working family issues, and we wanted to demonstrate that many members of Congress are tireless advocates for working families. 

We accomplished both. 

 

Enjoy some of the photo highlights from the breakfast as posted above — and watch for the next Best of Congress Award in 2010.

 

by Rob Jewell

 

Tony Wagner — The Global Achievement Gap

Tony Wagner’s keynote talk highlighted the second day of the annual meeting of Corporate Voices for Working Families in Washington September 9. Wagner sparked an enthusiastic discussion by reviewing key points from his new book, “The Global Achievement Gap.”

Wagner is co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Wagner’s an expert on the crisis facing our education system — and the implications it has for young people, the competitiveness of American businesses and the very future of our nation. A former high school teacher, he brings to the debate the perspective of someone who has been in the classroom and someone who has devoted a career to strengthening our schools.

His book explores this key idea: “Why even our best schools don’t teach the new survival skills our children need — and what we can do about it.”

He challenged the business community to “get clear about what skills you want high school graduates to have.” And he encouraged businesses to speak with one voice on critical skills.

“The Global Achievement Gap” is a book well worth reading. And Wagner’s key points serve as a call to action for the business community and others.

Photo highlights of Corporate Voices annual meeting are available by clicking on “more photos” above.

 

by Rob Jewell

Annual meeting highlights — Day one

Our annual meeting presented the opportunity to discuss important topics and issues involving working families. It also gave friends and associates the chance to visit and talk about common interests: how to improve the lives of working families.

Here’s some photo highlights of the opening day.

Still to come. A look at Tony Wagner’s presentation. Wagner is co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His comments were provocative — and inspiring.

And well also take a look next week — once we get the photos — of the extremely successful Best of Congress awards breakfast, held Sept. 10 at the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum. Fourteen members of Congress attended the celebration. And they were joined by more than 140 from Corporate Voices for Working Families partner companies and other friends — all on hand to salute and honor the “Best of Congress.”

 

by Rob Jewell

Corporate Voices gets the “fiscal wake-up tour”

Plenty of interesting speakers and panel discussions at day one of our Corporate Voices for Working Families annual meeting yesterday. Jane Swift, former Governor of Massachusetts, and William Spriggs, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Economics, Howard University, gave some perspective on how an Obama or McCain administration would deal with a range of issues, including education and the economy.

And we heard from keynote presenters Debbie Marriott Harrison and Les Brorsen. Debbie is Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Marriott International, and Les is Americas Director, Office of Public Policy, Ernst & Young.

Then we heard from Isabelle Sawhill, Stuart Butler and Robert Bixby. They go around the country these days spreading the word to those willing to listen about the coming economic crisis linked to federal budget deficits and the large part of the budget now committed to so-called entitlements, with Social Security and Medicare heading the list. Each comes from a very different policy perspective. Sawhill is a Senior Fellow at the liberal Brookings Institution, Butler is with the conservative Heritage Foundation and Bixby is with the Concord Coalition, a group that really focuses on fiscal responsibility in government.

Each have come to the same conclusion. This country is heading for big trouble — and it is trouble that those of us working today are passing on to our children and theirs. They start with this premise, as outlined in some of the material they hand out.

“The next president will face crucial decisions about our nation’s fiscal policy. To begin with, he will take charge of a government that is spending over $400 billion more than it takes it.”

And that’s bad. But here comes the real problem.

“The baby boomers’ retirement, starting this year, ushers in a permanent shift to an older population — and a permanent rise in the cost of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, which already comprise 42 percent of the federal budget.”

Add in a few bucks for national defense, and, well there isn’t much left. And when you see the numbers and the costs over time — it’s a wake-up call. Reduce spending. Raise taxes. Change substantially the nature of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.

As Bixby says, “It’s a moral issue. It’s about what we leave to our children.”

And the time to do something is now.

 

by Rob Jewell

Welcome to our annual meeting

Corporate Voices for Working Families holds its seventh annual meeting this week in Washington. And it gives us an opportunity to visit with friends and associates — as well as to explore issues that are important to improving the lives of working families.

The theme for the annual meeting is Mapping New Avenues for 21st Century Working Families. And throughout the meeting we’ll hear from experts who will share their insights and perspectives and help us map trends in workforce readiness, the economy and government. I’ll share highlights on this blog.

And on Wednesday we’ll honor the 24 recipients of our inaugural Best of Congress award. The award recognizes those members of Congress who are leaders in advocating legislation that improves the lives of working families and who demonstrate their personal commitment through their own family friendly staff office policies.

Should be an eventful and information meeting.

And to those from our partner companies and our other friends who are attending, welcome.

by Rob Jewell