Work-Life Task Force to Hold Open Forums

Work-Life Task Force to Hold Open Forums

These forums will introduce the Work Life initiative to the campus and seek input regarding ways the university can assist employees to better balance work and life. All employees are encouraged to attend.

Lexington, Ky. (Nov. 11, 2002 ) -- In its ongoing efforts to develop recommendations for improving the balance between life in the UK workplace and life at home, the Work-Life Task Force has scheduled two open forums. They are slated:

- Noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, in HG611 UK Hospital (hospital auditorium).

- Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, in the Center Theatre, Student Center.

The task force, which grew out of a recommendation to President Lee T. Todd Jr. from the President's Commission on Women, was charged with examining ways to enhance employee effectiveness through university policies, procedures and practices, assisting employees fulfill their personal as well as job-related responsibilities.

"Creating a workplace that allows employees to more effectively balance their work and off-the-job lives is an integral part of my vision for the University of Kentucky," Todd said.

Todd has already announced the first result of this initiative, the approval for mothers and fathers to use accrued temporary disability leave for the adoption of a child and the expansion of leave to fathers for the birth of his child. The new policies will give employees with accrued TDL more paid time off to adjust to their new families.

The task force is composed of a wide range of about 40 employees from across campus. Phyllis Nash, associate vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, UK Chandler Medical Center, and Karen Combs, associate vice president for Budget and Administration, UK Chandler Medical Center, serve as co-chairs. In addition, Todd appointed Jennifer E. Swanberg, assistant professor, College of Social Work, as adviser to the task force. Swanberg, who has helped organize this effort from the beginning, is the co-author of "The 1997 National Study of the Changing Workforce." The study was a research program of the Families and Work Institute, a non-profit New York-based center that provides data on the changing workplace, family and community.

For more information, visit www.uky.edu/worklife or contact Maria Kemplin at (859) 323-4871.