(Or Childfree in the Workplace… Tired of the Bias Part 2).
I finally got the chance to read the article that mercurior posted in one of his comments. And, reading it, I thought this made a better part two than the post I was writing. This echoes almost exactly what I was saying in my article about the bias the childfree face in the workplace – with just that bit more. Interestingly the article is written by Nicky Defago, author of Childfree and Loving It (a wonderful and down to earth read by the way) and it also references the some of the proposed changes to UK policy proposed by Beverley Hughes. Hey hey! She is as sceptical about the proposed “changes” as I am… just another way to give parents even more time with their kids with so-called “family friendly” policies.
But more interesting are the comments at the end of the article. Check them out.
You get the predictable parent bleat about the childfree expecting THEIR poor children to furnish US with a pension. Boo hoo! Well, that’s getting a wee bit old, people. It is. Because by the time retirement comes around, there ain’t gonna be much pension worth counting for most people. Unless you have worked in the same company, at the same job for all your working life. If your company hasn’t messed with the pension fund and squandered it through bad stewardship, or totally done away with it, inflation will erode the value anyway. So, rather than rely on a state pension, people should be socking away lots and lots of money themselves to save for their old age and care. Something us childfree folk could more easily do, if we weren’t being taxed ever more heavily to pay for people who’ve chosen to breed.
I and other childfree people have been told we have no compassion for mentioning a few of these realities. It’s untrue, but such is life when you mention sacred cows. (And by the way, my parents never had flexible working. My mum, a nurse, worked night duty – a full eight hour shift and a 48hr plus week. My Dad worked 9–5 – and studied at night. They brought up six kids, without whining they needed flexihours, time off etc (not that it was available anyway) and we turned out fine. We went to a child-minder when we were small. And not that we were rich either. Then again, we didn’t have an SUV, or exotic holidays twice a year or the latest computer gadget as so many kids have to have today… I got the impression life was expensive enough without that…)
But back to the article. Where would we be without the “you childfree are SO selfish,” children are the future… blah, blah, blah?” And I’m glad to see someone mentioned the issues that smaller companies have with so-called “flexibility” that parents always seem to want.
Nice to see among the comments, though some enlightened parents who also don’t see why childfree people should have to pick up the slack for those who have to rush off and do kiddie duty. And those from childfree people who resent it, but in the name of getting on with the job, they get on with it so that the work gets done.
One thing is crystal clear though. Childfree people are getting tired of being dumped on and less and less willing to put up with being so blatantly taken advantage of.
Thanks to mercurior for posting this timely link.
Related article: Childfree in the workplace… Tired of the Bias? Part 1
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I work for a VERY child-woman-friendly company. We are no strangers to Working Mother’s Magazine Top 100 Places to work. Parents can get flex-hours, flex-spending for child-care, and the whole organization is very very understanding when employees kids or families are sick.
Having said that, they have not turned a blind eye to the single or child-free employee. At one point I was a Humane Society Foster Mom for abandoned puppies. Two of my puppies (3 week old yellow labs that were tossed in the trash then rescued) came down with a nasty virus.
My Team Leader told me not to worry, that puppies were just as important as kids and to take all the time I needed to leave work, go home and get the pups, take them to the vet, wait, then take them home. I was also assured that I could take as much time off as I needed if the puppies required constant care. This pet-friendly attitude was routinely shown to others in my dept as well.
I think it’s wonderful when policies and benefits can be tailored to those people with specific needs…be they male, female, have two legs or four!