Catherwood LibraryILR School

As a growing number of companies adopt policies and benefits packages aimed at attracting and retaining workers with families, single employees are feeling increasingly marginalized. Oftentimes, employers tailor benefits such as health insurance and leave policies to the needs of workers with children or spouses---leaving single employees without children feeling that they are not valued. Many single workers complain that this problem is compounded by firms who go beyond failing to accommodate them, to exploiting them by forcing them to work holidays and overtime, in order to avoid hiring extra help when employees with families are on leave.