Stoel Rives partner Karen O'Connor recently discussed with OPB's David Miller the work-life balance issues highlighted in Anne-Marie Slaughter's article "Why Women Still Can't Have It All" published in The Atlantic.
Slaughter's article suggests that workplace bias against working mothers continues to be an obstacle to "having it all." As a high-level government employee she found it difficult to excel in her career and take care of her family's needs.
O'Connor and the other guests commented that the term "having it all" is outdated and perhaps in this case a little disingenuous given the author's career and socioeconomic standing. She said that work-life balance depends on the amount of control a person has over their work schedule, but that people also need to compromise and allocate resources according to their priorities. O'Connor also said that until men demand and use flexibility options such as the Family Medical Leave Act, employers lack motivation to implement changes and the commitment of employees who use such programs will continue to be questioned.
Click here to listen to the OPB interview.
"Having it All" was broadcast on the Think Out Loud program by OPB Public Radio on June 25, 2012.