The Wall Street Journal-20080131-Home - Family- Work - Family Mailbox

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Home & Family: Work & Family Mailbox

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[Columnist Sue Shellenbarger answers readers' questions]

Q: I saw your column on companies hiring new employees to work from home right from the start. Is the government adopting this model?

-- J.R., Fort Sam Houston, Texas

A: More than half, or about 1.25 million, of federal jobs are classified as eligible for telework -- that is, working from home or a satellite location near home at least once a month. Anyone hired into one of those jobs would theoretically be eligible to telecommute, says a spokesman for the federal Office of Personnel Management; however, "arrangements need to be made between the employee and the supervisor" to permit telework. In 2006, only about 9% of federal employees in eligible jobs were actually teleworking regularly, the agency said in a report last November to Congress.

The General Services Administration, which according to the 2006 report has about 14% of its eligible employees working remotely, plans to promote telework in future job postings, a GSA spokeswoman says. The agency's goal is to increase teleworkers to half of eligible employees by 2010. Across all agencies, federal teleworkers actually declined 7.3% between 2005 and 2006, partly because of security concerns about remote work.

Also, some agencies cited problems counting teleworkers accurately over time, making it appear that their telework numbers are falling.

Q: Could you advise on job-searching while pregnant? (I'm currently employed.) Is this a bad idea?

-- J.V., Portland, Ore.

A: There's nothing wrong with it, as long as you're clear on your objectives and the potential risks and drawbacks. On the plus side, it may make sense to look around if you need to find a more family- friendly employer. And if you want or need a new job for other reasons, being pregnant, in and of itself, shouldn't deter you from looking. "There's nothing wrong with putting yourself out there, to test the waters" on your prospects, says Julie Cohen, a Philadelphia career coach. "If you get a job offer, you can make the decision" based on the particulars.

You may encounter prejudice among hiring managers. While interviewers can't legally discriminate against you because of pregnancy, it would be wise to think through their potential fears and biases and come up with a pro-active response to avert them, Ms. Cohen says. "If you're concerned that interviewers are going to worry about whether you'll have child care," she suggests, "casually weave in" a description of your child-care plans.

If you are ambivalent about returning to work and fear a job search might feed further confusion, give yourself some time to reflect. Also, be aware that if you do switch jobs, family-leave benefits may not kick in soon enough for you to enjoy a decent maternity leave. A new employer would be obligated, at the least, to provide you only the same amount of leave provided to other employees on temporary disability, which most doctors say is six to eight weeks following childbirth.

Q: How does one find an au pair?

-- E.B.

A: Nanny agencies and child-care ads often use the term "au pair" to describe child-care workers in general. However, to find what most people think of as a true au pair -- a foreign national who lives temporarily with a U.S. family under a cultural-exchange program -- you must contact one of 12 agencies authorized by the State Department to place foreign au pairs with special visas. A current list, plus more information on the program, can be found at www.exchanges.state.gov; on the right-side menu, click on "au pair program," then on the "current sponsor list" link. To narrow the list, click on the drop-down menu box labeled "category description" and select "au pair."

These agencies typically charge between $6,000 and $7,800 for recruiting, health and accident insurance, placement, training, visa, staff support and other services. The stipend required by all agencies, based on the federal minimum wage, is currently $157.95 a week, plus room, board and $500 for academic course work. Au pairs may not work more than 10 hours a day, or 45 hours a week.

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