Intersectionality and Family-Friendly Policies in the Federal Government

Abstract

This is an exploratory study that examines federal employee’s satisfaction with work–life balance or family-friendly policies. We rely on intersectionality as a theoretical framework to examine how gender, race, and class interact in the formation of their views. Drawing from the 2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, we examine how minority women compare with non-minority women regarding their perception of fairness of programs and policies aimed at the promotion of work–life balance. This topic is significant because satisfaction and participation in work–life balance programs can have implications for overall job performance and satisfaction. Our findings suggest that race, education, and proximity to retirement all play a role in work–life balance (family-friendly) policy satisfaction.