Recently in Women in the Workplace Category

Hurray for New Hampshire.  Yesterday, three new work-family bills, part of the New Hampshire Women's Lobby's (NHWL) Work and Family Economic Sustainability Initiative ("Initiative"), were heard by the House Labor and Commerce Committees in New Hampshire. 

1. HB661, a family leave insurance program bill, which creates a family leave insurance program to allow parents to take time off to care for a newborn, newly adopted child, or to allow persons to care for a family member with a serious medical condition, including a wounded service member.  This bill only applies to employers with 50 or more employees, and establishes the benefit at up to 6 weeks of $250 per week.
2. HB662, a paid sick days and safe leave bill, which requires employers of full-time and part-time employees to provide up to five days of sick or safe leave for their employees, and is intended to enable workers to seek medical care, psychological counseling for themselves and family, due to sickness or injury, domestic violence, or preventive medical care.  The bill may exempt small businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
3. HB663, a right to request a flexible schedule law, which creates a process for employees to request flexibility in work schedules, including the number of hours required to work, the times when the employee is required to work, or the location where the employee is required to work.  This process is contingent on meeting specific conditions described in the application and further specifies employer's criteria for granting or denying such requests.  The proposal only applies to employers with more than 15 employees.

Here's to hoping these bills pass!

Sunday's New York Times Business section ran an article, A Sisterhood Of Workplace Infighting by Peggy Klaus. Klaus, a leadership consultant, writes about women mistreating women in the workplace--"limiting access to important meetings, withholding information, assignments, promotions; or blocking the way to mentors and higher ups."  I'll admit, I was infuriated as I read this. Is this another example sensationalizing the portrayal of women as overemotional, backstabbing and bitchy? Sally Helgeson, author of The Female Advantage, conducted research demonstrating that women managers, in contrast to men, spend more time helping people and their authority comes from connection to people rather than distance from those below.  Dee Dee Myers, in her book Why Women Should Rule the World, writes about how women give away credit to their detriment because they place such a high value on teamwork and building relationships.  Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother media has built a thriving conference business that fosters women networking and mentoring other women. What is your workplace experience? Have you been a victim of female bullying? Please submit your comments.