You are a department head in a mid-sized clothing manufacturing firm in a time of high unemployment. Your manager is always worrying about the bottom line and cash flow. She has asked you, as marketing employees retire or leave, to split a number of their positions into part-time jobs that do not require the company to offer benefits like health insurance. Your boss says many job applicants want this kind of employment. You are not so sure. You are reluctant to replace jobs offering good benefits with jobs that offer none, and you are seeking powerful arguments with which to persuade your boss to abandon the plan.

Critical Thinking

• What points support the job-sharing plan? How would it benefit the company? The employees?

• What negative effects might it have on the company and the employees?

• Is job sharing better for some positions in a department than for others?

• Do you have any concerns about potential employment discrimination if this plan is implemented? If so, what would they be?

• Is creating job-sharing positions the right thing for the company/customers/employees to do in this situation?