HR STRATEGY

Morning Brew Inc., Photo: Adobe Stock

Remember when the four-day workweek was in the running to be the most highly sought-after perk?

After the pandemic, as remote work became increasingly more common, many workers hoped the four-day workweek would become more common too. And, for a while, many companies experimented with different flexible work arrangements. But as the economic environment changed, many companies ditched flex policies, and the four-day workweek conversation also seemingly vanished.

“I see 2020 as ‘day zero’ of the new experiment of work, because there was such a massive disruption,” said Jennifer Moss, workplace strategist and author of Why Are We Here? Creating A Work Culture Everyone Wants. “And then we’re still seeing incredible disruption.”

HR Brew has kept tabs on three companies that, in the wake of the pandemic, experimented with a shortened workweek as a way to retain and improve the well-being of their employees. The ways in which their programs have evolved are evidence of this continued disruption, and serve as a lesson for any employer experimenting with flexible work.

For more on how experimenting with a four-day workweek informed how three employers approach flexibility, keep reading here.—MC

      

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HR STRATEGY

Emily Parsons

Is there anyone out there who isn’t anxious?

Anxiety affects 40 million US adults, or 19.1% of the population, making it the most common mental disorder in the country, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Given its prevalence, HR pros should consider how it may be affecting their workforces, and what tools they may need to help cope, according to David H. Rosmarin, author of Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You.

“Anxiety is a part of your life,” Rosmarin told HR Brew, later adding, “It’s part of being human, and we have to have a way to use our anxiety, not to get rid of it.”

Rosmarin discussed his book and how HR pros can help workers navigate anxiety with HR Brew.

For more from our conversation with Rosmarin, keep reading here.—MC

      

TOTAL REWARDS

Francis Scialabba

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a law that allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying family and medical events, such as the birth or adoption of a child, or a serious health condition. The FMLA ensures that employees can continue to receive health insurance while they’re on leave.

When was the FMLA enacted? President Bill Clinton signed the FMLA into law in February 1993. US lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to get similar legislation enacted for nearly 10 years prior to this point, with the first draft introduced in 1984. Congress passed the FMLA twice when President George H.W. Bush was in office (1989–93), but he vetoed it both times, citing concerns that it would have a negative impact on businesses and the economy.

Who must comply with the FMLA? Private-sector employers with 50 or more workers that are “engaged in commerce or in an industry affecting commerce” are generally required to grant leave to eligible workers under the law. All public-sector employers, regardless of how many workers they employ, also must comply with the FMLA.

For more on FMLA eligibility and reforms, keep reading here.—CV

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work perks

Francis Scialabba

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: The average worker paid $7,471 this year for an employer-sponsored family health plan, up 9% from last year. (KFF)

Quote: “These cases punished bad execution, not the concept of DEI…Every one of these courts said the same thing in plain terms: Diversity training is not inherently discriminatory.”—Amy Epstein Gluck, an employment lawyer and partner at Pierson Ferdinand LLP, on recent lawsuits targeting DEI programs (Bloomberg Law)

Read: The Department of Energy is challenging claims from workers who reported getting sick after cleaning up radioactive waste at federal nuclear weapons sites. (ProPublica)

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