Finding Time: The Economics of Work-Life Conflict The Economics of Work-Life Conflict

“Ambitious, fast-paced, fact-filled, and accessible.” —Science “A compelling case for why achieving the right balance of time with our families...is vital to the economic success and prosperity of our nation... A must read.” —Maria Shriver From backyard barbecues to the blogosphere, working men and women across the country are raising the same worried question: How can I get ahead at my job while making sure my family doesn’t suffer? A visionary economist who has looked at the numbers behind the personal stories, Heather Boushey argues that resolving the work–life conflict is as vital for us personally as it is essential economically. Finding Time offers ingenious ways to help us carve out the time we need, while showing businesses that more flexible policies can actually make them more productive. “Supply and demand curves are suddenly ‘sexy’ when Boushey uses them to prove that paid sick days, paid family leave, flexible work schedules, and affordable child care aren’t just cutesy women’s issues for families to figure out ‘on their own time and dime,’ but economic issues affecting the country at large.” —Vogue “Boushey argues that better family-leave policies should not only improve the lives of struggling families but also boost workers’ productivity and reduce firms’ costs.” —The Economist Employers Today Are Demanding More And More Of Employees' Time. And From Campaign Barbecues To The Blogosphere, Workers Across The United States Are Raising The Same Worried Question: How Can I Get Ahead At My Job While Making Sure My Family Doesn't Fall Behind? Heather Boushey Argues That Resolving Work-life Conflicts Is As Vital For Individuals And Families As It Is Essential For Realizing The Country's Productive Potential. The Federal Government, However, Largely Ignores The Connection Between Individual Work-life Conflicts And More Sustainable Economic Growth. The Consequence: Business And Government Treat The Most Important Things In Life--health, Children, Elders--as Matters For Workers To Care About Entirely On Their Own Time And Dime. That Might Have Worked In The Past, But Only Thanks To A Hidden Subsidy: The American Wife, A Behind The Scenes, Stay-at-home Fixer Of What Economists Call Market Failures. When Women Left The Home--out Of Desire And Necessity--the Old System Fell Apart. Families And The Larger Economy Have Yet To Recover. But Change Is Possible. Finding Time Presents Detailed Innovations To Help Americans Find The Time They Need And Help Businesses Attract More Productive Workers. A Policy Wonk With Working-class Roots And A Deep Understanding Of The Stresses Faced By Families Up And Down The Income Ladder, Heather Boushey Demonstrates With Clarity And Compassion That Economic Efficiency And Equity Do Not Have To Be Enemies. They Can Be Reconciled If We Have The Vision To Forge A New Social Contract For Business, Government, And Private Citizens. -- Inside Jacket Flap. Our Roots -- Stalled: Today's Middle Class -- Stuck: Today's Low-income Families -- Soaring Above And Sounding The Alarm: Today's Professional Families -- Thinking Like An Economist -- Here At Home: Paid Time Off To Care -- There At Work: Scheduling Time -- Care: When You Can't Be At Home -- Fair: Finding The Right Path. Heather Boushey. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 271-326) And Index. "Employers today are demanding more and more of employees' time. And from campaign barbecues to the blogosphere, workers across the United States are raising the same worried question : How can I get ahead at my job while making sure my family doesn't fall behind? Heather Boushey argues that resolving work-life conflicts is as vital for individuals and families as it is essential for realizing the country's productive potential. The federal government, however, largely ignores the connection between individual work-life conflicts and more sustainable economic growth. The consequence : business and government treat the most important things in life--health, children, elders--as matters for workers to care about entirely on their own time and dime. That might have worked in the past, but only thanks to a hidden subsidy : the American Wife, a behind the scenes, stay-at-home fixer of what economists call market failures. When women left the home--out of desire and necessity--the old system fell apart. Families and the larger economy have yet to recover. But change is possible. Finding Time presents detailed innovations to help Americans find the time they need and help businesses attract more productive workers. A policy wonk with working-class roots and a deep understanding of the stresses faced by families up and down the income ladder, Heather Boushey demonstrates with clarity and compassion that economic efficiency and equity do not have to be enemies. They can be reconciled if we have the vision to forge a new social contract for business, government, and private citizens."--Jaquette Employers today are demanding more and more of employees time. And from campaign barbecues to the blogosphere, workers across the United States are raising the same worried question: How can I get ahead at my job while making sure my family doesn t fall behind? Heather Boushey argues that resolving work-life conflicts is as vital for individuals and families as it is essential for realizing the country s productive potential. The federal government, however, largely ignores the connection between individual work-life conflicts and more sustainable economic growth. The consequence: business and government treat the most important things in life health, children, elders as matters for workers to care about entirely on their own time and dime. That might have worked in the past, but only thanks to a hidden subsidy: the American Wife, a behind-the-scenes, stay-at-home fixer of what economists call market failures. When women left the home out of desire and necessity the old system fell apart. Families and the larger economy have yet to recover. But change is possible. Finding Time presents detailed innovations to help Americans find the time they need and help businesses attract more productive workers. A policy wonk with working-class roots and a deep understanding of the stresses faced by families up and down the income ladder, Heather Boushey demonstrates with clarity and compassion that economic efficiency and equity do not have to be enemies. They can be reconciled if we have the vision to forge a new social contract for business, government, and private citizens." CONTENTS Preface Introduction I. Our Roots II. Stalled: Today’s Middle Class III. Stuck: Today’s Low- Income Families IV. Soaring above and Sounding the Alarm: Today’s Professional Families V. Thinking Like an Economist VI. Here at Home: Paid Time off to Care VII. There at Work: Scheduling Time VIII. Care: When You Can’t Be at Home IX. Fair: Finding the Right Path Conclusion Appendix: Data and Methods Figure Sources Notes Acknowl edgments Index

Employers demand more of employees' time while leaving the important things in life—health, family—for workers to take care of on their own time and dime. How can workers get ahead while making sure their families don't fall behind? Heather Boushey shows in detail that economic efficiency and equity do not have to be enemies.