Mom Fired for Refusing Overtime

I was talking today to an insurance agent in the Valley who said she worked for the same insurer for years before giving birth. When she had her child and then asked if she could go part time, the company said sorry. So she went out on her own, and is thriving.

When I called at 10 am or so, she was driving home from Trader Joe's, getting her marketing out of the way before going home to log on or make phone calls while the baby napped.

I love these stories, because they offer proof of how work is changing, and how parents are forcing that change.

The truth is, working from home can be the most efficient situation, if people are allowed real flexibility. Instead of running the clock down in an office, for instance, and then dashing to the store before rushing to pick up the kids, why not go in the middle of the day when there are no lines?

Despite the progress, there are still so many stories about women getting slapped down for requesting a little flexibility. Ellen Bravo of 9to5 writes about two Moms fired, in one case, and demoted, in the other, for putting their children ahead of their work. See her piece on today's Huffington Post.