The
Balancing Act:
Ensure Equal Treatment for Parents and
Non-ParentsBy
Rebecca R. Hastings
Society for Human Resource Management
This article extensively quoted
Thomas F. Coleman, Executive director of Unmarried America.
Here are excerpts from the article
which refer to Coleman's quotes and comments:
- “Back in the ’50s and ’60s, the
workplace was dominated by working husbands with wives and kids at
home,” says Thomas Coleman, executive director of Unmarried America,
a nonprofit information service. “Policies that existed then may
have been appropriate when that was the common model. But now that
family diversity is the norm, some feel it is not fair to give one
type of family preferential treatment over others.”
- Coleman shares the example of a
single woman whose sister was her only remaining family member:
“When that sister needed care during a battle with cancer, the
employee was denied [leave] because the sister did not fit the
official definition of a family member under the workplace policy,”
he says.
- A more obvious disparity exists under
many employer health plans. “Employers are paying more in health
care premiums for families,” Coleman says. “And since benefits now
make up a considerable piece of the total compensation package,
those with family coverage are paid proportionately more than those
with single coverage.”
- “Employers don’t want to be perceived
as playing favorites. But when you scratch below the surface you
still find favoritism in benefits, leave practices, flexibility and
even company events,” Coleman says. He cites the example of a
company picnic in which an unmarried employee’s request to bring her
father and brother was denied though other employees were allowed to
bring multiple children.
- Coleman encourages workers without
children to speak up if they have concerns about their employer’s
practices. “Look at what the company’s competitors are doing and
suggest options.”
- However, for those companies who are
aware and who want to create a more inclusive workplace, Coleman
suggests employers:
• Look at
the demographics of the workplace to see if benefits match needs.
• Host
focus groups of mixed employees to discuss benefits and policies.
• Find
other ways to ensure fairness, such as seniority-based systems.
• Make
efforts to accommodate reasonable requests.
• Review
diversity statements for differences between stated and actual
practices.