Jodie is concerned that friends and family who have been reading our website
will get the impression that she is not working, just enjoying great scenery,
wonderful trips, etc. It's not true! Jodie has been hard at
work as an Ian Axford Fellow, studying New Zealand's work life policies.
Specifically, she has been studying New Zealand's Paid Parental Leave and Paid
Sick Leave policies.
Until 3 years ago, NZ was part of the "work life balance axis of evil" within
the OECD. Along with Australia and the USA, it was one of only 3 such
countries not to have a guaranteed paid parental leave policy. Since they
now do, Jodie has been studying how the policies work and how smaller employers
and low wage workers have fared under the policies. Meanwhile, USA and AUS
remain a "coalition of the unwilling" and still lack suck policies. In
fact, as lead coalition partner, the USA doesn't even guarantee workers paid
sick leave either for themselves or for family members. Such a policy is
opposed in the US at least in part with the argument that it would unduly burden
smaller employers with fewer than 50 employees. Since NZ is a country of
such employers, Jodie thought examining how they have fared would be useful
data. In fact, several of the small employers she interviewed were "gobsmacked"
that Yanks don't have such a guarantee. Of course, they don't allow
nuclear powered or armed ships here, either, and none of them believe us when we
tell them that DC residents don't have congressional representation, so go
figure.
Jodie has taken a very un-Kiwi like approach to her assignment, logging 7-day
work weeks as she approaches the finish line with her product. So don't
let the website fool you....Jodie has been hard at work while here, even if
Barry hasn't.
Jodie at her MSD desk
Jodie has been working out of the Ministry for Social Development (MSD), the largest government agency. Her office is a short walk down the hill from our cottage, in an unattractive, unremarkable office tower within spitting distance of the Beehive and Parliament. It's got an open office plan; no one has a private office, including the senior staff.
Jodie's MSD cube
Jodie and Ann Dostine at audioconference
One of Jodie's projects here was to plan and carry out an audio conference with participants around the country. Jodie has perfected this teleconferencing technique at CLASP, but it had never been done here before. The topic turned out to be "enhanced case management," and the event attracted folks from all over NZ, and was a great success.
The view from Jodie's MSD area
Rebecca Martin
One of Jodie's office mates and a good friend.
Connell Smith
Ross at his conference table
Marnie at her desk
Another office mate and friend.
Jane at her desk
Jodie at MSD presentation
Jodie gave a presentation on US teen pregnancy trends and policies as part of an MSD in-service seminar series. It attracted a nice MSD crowd, as well as others from places like Victoria University.
Answering questions at the seminar
MSD seminar audience
Ministry of Food
The cafe on the ground floor of Jodie's building is called the "Ministry of Food." It caters events in the building, and hosts a lively crowd for coffees, lunches and after-work drinks. Jodie and her mates join one another at least twice a week for wine and beer after work. This picture shows Jodie collecting drinks for the table, together with one of MOF's servers.
Barry
and Jodie's Kiwi Adventure
