Conterversial Esay Essay, Research Paper
Work is very important to have a better life. It is true to a great extent but the working conditions for childless workers and employees with children are very controversial. Childless workers receive unfair treatment from companies that have adopted ?family friendly? policies. These policies are intended to accommodate employees who have difficulties balancing work and family life-often requires childless employees to suffer. Family friendly corporate policies create resentment among childless workers. The majority of the employees feel exploited because nearly two- thirds of U.S. workers don?t have any children under age eighteen. Family-friendly corporate policies are more counterproductive than beneficial to the childless employees.
Childless workers usually complain that they have to work more hours than their counterparts who have children. They usually leave the offices many hours late as compared to children with employees do. Patricia Molloy, a thirty years old administrative assistant at a large consumer- products company, says she often stays two hours late to put together mailings for shareholders, while others in the office leave to pick up their kids. In 1992, after a late mailing episode, she didn?t get home on her birthday until about 9p.m., two hours too late for her reservation at a favorite restaurant. Employees with children say that families should take priority. The average parent spends forty percent less time with his or her children than he or she did twenty years ago. While social institutions share many of the family?s responsibilities toward children, they can never take the place of families.
Childless employees are annoyed when they aren?t given the same flexibilities as employees with children do. Childless employees believe that the children are use as a convenient cop-out. Julie Miller, an advertising copywriter in St. Louis says that she resents being pressured to volunteer for local marketing groups after hours, while other workers beg off ?to fix dinner for the kids.? Dorothy Lawicki, a hospital nurse in Atlanta, gets angry because other employees with sick children frequently flee in the middle of the work shift, leaving her with extra patients to attend. Deweerd, a secretary in Chicago, complains, ?If you don?t have kids, it?s assumed you don?t have any life outside the office.? For childless workers asking for time off is treated ?like a demerit.? Workers with children say that it is very difficult to fulfill every necessity at work as well as at home. ?Parents in the work place are the ones who should get all the sympathy of the boss?, said Leslie Lafayette. Parents have more burdens than the single or childless workers have.
Childless workers receive unfair treatment from the companies that have adopted ?family friendly? policies. They don?t get the benefits that others with families do. These policies are not made to make their life better. Grossman, a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal, said that companies should offer employee-support programs that benefit childless workers too. Childless workers have no benefits from ?family-friendly policies.? It is a great advantage for employees with children because they get a better chance to improve their and their family?s life.
Childless workers or singles have to pay more tax from their monthly paycheck than the employees with children do. The deductions are very high for the singles. They almost have to give them a one-third from their check. This leaves them thinking that is it equal employment opportunity? Why this injustice with them only? Why they have to pay more tax than the others? Is it the only reason that they have no kids?
Many childless employees have discovered that many career-oriented employees must contend with a double-edged sword. The commitment and sacrifice that often helped them get ahead in their careers may also leave them felling far behind in other aspects of their lives. ?They see it as dues paying on the fast track,? says Jennie Farley, a professor of industrial and labor relation at Cornell University, ?Their lives are disrupted more and they pay a high price. We all need a work-life balance.?
Suzanna Fields, a columnist, in Conservative Chronicle, on July 7, 1993, pointed out, ?Childless women at work fell that they are more discriminated. Childless women not only resent paycheck deductions for day care and maternity benefits for others when they would rather have the benefits of higher salaries or longer vacations, but they are begging to suspect that they are singled out discriminates against for undesirable transfers, overtime and more inflexible tasks.? A pregnant woman will never be transferred to another place, but the only one to be transferred is the single or childless woman. Childless woman has to adjust her schedule with an employee who has children and it leads her thinking why only she has to switch her position not the other one? Childless woman has to do all the inflexible tasks like doing more and heavy work than her colleague. This can only lead to jealousy between employees at same work place.
Childless or single workers should be encouraged to organize their own groups for social outings and community volunteer projects. They should get time off for social and recreational needs and should have flexible hours by avoiding dumping extra work on them. It can help reduce jealousy between employees. If parents are allowed to tailor their work hours to child-care pickup times, then childless workers should be given adjustable work schedule to attend University classes or should be able to leave the office early to look after a sick spouse.