NEWS

For immediate release

Microniche Media, LLC

Association of Professional Office Managers

OfficeOurs Magazine

The APOM Foundation

Press contact:

Jim Lynch

Email: jim@apomhq.org

Tel: 240-403-4033

 

Emotional Controversy Over Assistance for Employees

Who Provide Care to a Child with Autism or Other Special Needs

 

Survey Identifies Need to Educate Workplace Supervisors and Executives

about Children with Special Needs

 

Rockville, Maryland – March 3, 2005 –  “While last week’s media coverage of Autism communicated some of the challenges faced by families caring for a child with Autism, workplace supervisors and executives need to know more about low functioning Autism, the financial and other hardships faced by lower wage earning caregivers, and what employers can do to help their employees who provide care for a child with Autism or other special needs,” said Jim Lynch, Executive Director of The Association of Professional Office Managers (APOM).   

 

In a recent survey conducted by The Association of Professional Office Managers, OfficeOurs Magazine, and The APOM Foundation, of almost 200 office managers, human resource directors, business owners, professionals and executives:

• 64% of respondents were aware of at least one person within their company who is caring for a child or adult with special needs;
• 79% of respondents think employers should play a role in providing assistance to employees who care for a child or adult with special needs; and
• 64% indicated that employers should incur modest to generous costs to assist these employees. 
   

These results however, are in sharp contrast to opposing views.  Some respondents pointed out that providing additional assistance to an employee, even in light of the additional burden endured by that employee, is not fair to other workers in the company.  Others stated that providing additional assistance would be an unfair hardship on owners of small or medium size companies, many of whom already struggle to provide a health plan for their workers.  And, some care givers pointed out their fear of the potential stigmatism they may face if they disclose their situation to their employer, possibly hurting their opportunities for raises and promotions. 

 

APOM’s feature article on the survey results identified three flexible policies that workplaces can adopt for little or no cost that provide substantial assistance to these caregivers:

• Flexible schedules,
• Leave without pay, and
• Work from home
   

Even if an employer offers these policies, however, comments in the survey indicate that an individual supervisor’s acceptance of and tolerance for the policies may depend on whether the supervisor has kids of their own or is an understanding person.  The survey also asked about education of supervisors, how they are encouraged to assist, and reachout to caregivers:

• Only 23% of workplaces provide education for supervisors and executives about children and adults with special needs;
• Only 36% of workplaces encourage supervisors to be supportive of employees caring for children and adults with special needs at supervisor orientations, department meetings, or special training sessions; and
• Only 37% reach out to employees caring for children and adults with special needs (for example, by providing information that can be accessed anonymously and by publicizing and promoting the use of benefits with information targeted to families caring for children and adults with special needs)
   

Lynch suggests, "human resource professionals need to ensure that workplace supervisors and executives receive training about the demands and challenges faced by caregivers of children with special needs and how to suitably manage employees working under flexible policies so we can begin to change old management stigmas that hinder adoption of such policies.  Once a workplace adopts flexible work policies, it is important that all the supervisors and executives buy into those policies and administer them properly and uniformly.  In addition, human resource professionals need to provide programs that help these caregivers advocate for their children, as many caregivers struggle with red tape and bureaucracy when seeking the assistance to which their child is entitled."
 

The full article and survey results are available online at:

http://www.apomonline.org/Articles/special_needs.asp
 

APOM’s series of articles on this topic continues in upcoming issues of OfficeOurs Magazine, including coverage of “flexible policy management techniques”, “a day in the life of low functioning Autism”, and “how businesses can help with long term housing and employment of young adults with special needs”.

 

About Microniche Media, LLC and The Association of Professional Office Managers
Microniche Media, LLC is an integrated media company that creates and operates media properties servicing office management professionals.  The Association of Professional Office Managers, OfficeOurs Magazine, www.apomonline.org, and The APOM Foundation enhance the professional careers of office managers by providing information, tools, training, and networking.  For more information about Microniche Media, The Association of Professional Office Managers, OfficeOurs Magazine, or the APOM Foundation, visit http://www.apomonline.org/.

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