Child-Free by Choice

Today one of my co-workers came in late and left early to pick her kid up from school, neither time planned.  This would not bother me if it did not happen ALL the time.  As a CF woman, I feel that I am held to this different standard then the breeders I work with.  This woman in particular has missed more time in two years then I have missed in 8 years with my company and the 10 years at my old job.  I can't just say oops, have to leave today but hey I'll take some work home to cover my missed time...nope I am expected to be there ON TIME every day!  I am pretty certain that I would have been talked to if I was doing this all the time - however if I ever am you can bet I will be saying something.  I know I shouldn't let this bother me but I work hard at being a good employee, being on time and working hard every day to do the best job I can - I just wish this was the standard that everyone was held too!

I totally feel your pain. I see this constantly in my workplace too.

Of the moms I work with who have kids in the 0-10 age range, more than half of them have flexible schedules. From what I understand of it, they receive 80% of their salary but work 4 days (32 hours) instead of 40 hours per week. What bothers me about it though, is that "everyone" is supposedly allowed this option...but others have asked to do a flex schedule and were denied because their reason wasn't deemed worthy. So apparently, if you just prefer to work 4 days and can afford to take the pay cut...or if you have chronic pain which makes 5 day work weeks unbearable...or if you want to take care of an elderly parent...that isn't good enough. But if you have a couple of kids who are in elementary school then that warrants a flex schedule. WTF?! I can *somewhat* understand the women who have newborns/toddlers but honestly to me it's all just BS. The majority of these women DO NOT pull 80% of their weight around the office and always have to leave early or miss days ANYWAY because heaven knows Junior doesn't JUST get sick on mommy's weekday OFF, kwim?

Sorry for the extended rant. But I don't get it. I realize financially it may not be an option for some, but honestly I feel like some of these moms need to bite the bullet and be a SAHM or bite the bullet and be a full-time employee. This back and forth stuff is total crap especially when the same flexibility is not freely extended to others in the office.

I'm a housewife, no kids, obviously, only 3 furry ones! We got married in September, and in January, I will finish my BA online. I have health problems. I was hit by a drunk driver in 2004, and have all sorts of stuff wrong! I won't go into it. I'm hoping after getting my BA in Psychology, I can find a job where I don't have to stand a lot. So, I'm a housewife, it's what I can do. Let's just say that. Anyway.....

I'm considered handicapped. I feel that people with children think with the same mentality. Like they should be treated special. Like they are handicapped! Like they deserve special treatment, as a handicapped person would. I haven't worked in a while, I really can't at this point, but I tried. I had to leave early for MRI's, Dr. appt's, etc, so I decided to quit. It wasn't fair to my other coworkers. I think I did the right thing. So, I agree, stay at home with your kids if you can't give your job the fullest! I couldn't give a job my fullest, I loved my coworkers, but it wasn't fair, I was missing work, same things that Mom's do. Have the common seance to know that your screwing people over, and they are gonna resent you! I quit before that happened to me, and people were supportive, because it was the right thing to do!

I'm not trying to sound righteous, or anything, I just think it's stupid that Mom's get so much freedom at work. The CF people are pushed aside as if they are not as important. Also, CF women usually end up doing more work, and better work, and it's excepted and not appreciated. That makes me mad, I've seen it in the past, and, I hear it from you gals, and it ticks me off.

Sorry about the little rant here, but this really gets to me!

>>> So apparently, if you just prefer to work 4 days and can afford to take the pay cut...or if you have chronic pain which makes 5 day work weeks unbearable...or if you want to take care of an elderly parent...that isn't good enough. <<<

I think that if a company offers flex schedules, it should be for all employees, regardless of the reason. But I *really* think your company is on dangerous ground here, if they ever actually denied a flex schedule to someone who cares for an elderly parent. Unpaid leave for that very thing is covered by FMLA, and it seems to me that your company could get into big trouble that way.

We all know that in many workplaces, we're going to carry more of the workload than our coworkers who are parents. But I think that employers have to be very careful to not mandate two different sets of rules - that's a lawsuit waiting to happen!

Carol