Well, the article and comments just demonstrate that there's a WIDE range of personal experiences on this issue (ie PT or telecommute work).  Right now in the US, individual employees' situations vary greatly depending on their skill set, industry, geographic location, etc.  

So while some people are scrambling to pay the bills and working multiple jobs -- other people are well paid enough to trade off FT work for PT work, in exchange for more free / family time. Some companies oppose telecommuting; others promote it.

Somebody mentioned high tech jobs: again, YMMV.  For example, HP and Sun both have large numbers of employees that work remotely / telecommute.  There are numerous jobs in my area (silicon valley) that explicitly advertise as telecommute or PT (and that's not counting the thousands of jobs where individual employees work out arrangements with their boss/employer to work shifted hours or telecommute or whatever).  

I currently work with a national business services company, and my current project is fully remote -- a couple dozen of us are on the project and we all work from home. Also about 1/3 of us are PT.  I worked for this same company about 10 years ago and they have changed A LOT they would never have done this 10 yrs ago.

So PT and telecommute jobs do exist and can work out and pay decently, at least for some people/some companies.  But there are definitely lots of people who can't find jobs they want with the conditions they want (pay, location etc).

Edsnopse, I am wholehertedly in agreement with you. I spent 7 unfulfilling years at a very large health insurance company that prided itself on always being in the Top 10 of "Working Mothers Best Companies to Work For". Their PR people worked tirelessly promoting the so-called Family Friendly working policies that they had in place supposedly for all employees, not just executives. I worked tirelessly, received flawless reviews and great raises, but never achieved my work-at-home goal. Heck, they wouldn't even consider flex time in all those years I was there. I finally realized that it was all smoke and mirrors and that I needed to find a way to make my own flex time. I left the big salary, made some budgetary adjustments and began substitute teaching. Best career move I ever made! I am now finishing up my Master's degree and I am looking at job-share teaching options for next year. Yes, it was difficult at first and we had to get used to lifestyle adjustments. But the quality time that I have been able to spend with the kids has been invaluable. I just wish I hadn't wasted all that time chasing after a so-called benefit that they had no intention of giving me.

I don't know that many people who are considering working part-time  INSTEAD of full-time.  Most folks I know are interested in getting a part time job in addition to their full time job.  It would have been helpful to have a list of part time jobs to consider.  My hubby and I have a cleaning service.  We clean offices at one of our local businesses in the evening. The business closes at 5:00 and we get in by 5:30 and are usually finished by 7:30 - we have the keys and lock up when we are finished.  What made it a good job choice was even when our kids played sports in the evening, we had the choice of going in after the game was overwith, like after 9:00

I have been blessed with several part-time jobs for over 15 years. I am a teacher and I have taught as an adjunct instructor at a community college, taught part-time at an alternative education school, substitute taught, taught adult education, and coordinate a learning center at a community college.  it's possible to find part-time work even in a rural area. i live in northeast michigan.

i totally agree that young mothers shouldn't have to go back to work full-time and leave their infants after only six weeks of maternity time. but, you have to be willing to sacrifice.

we sure did. a lot of young people today have big dreams, and it seems that big dollars are required for these big dreams:  house, vacations, cars, etc... you must be willing to sacrifice.

you may only get a new dishwasher this year or a camping vacation this year, not both.

jillia  (May 5)

I agree with edsnopse. I work as a freelance writer and wanted something more stable. I searched for two years and never found anything part-time with a fair or reasonable pay scale.

When I began applying for full-time work, I was viewed as someone who wasn't competitive/ambitious/hard-working enough because I left a good career to raise my children. Companies overlooked or ignored that I had been making a fairly regular income as a freelancer.

There's no support in the country for the full-time mom, or the part-time working mom.

You're apparently supposed to shuffle the kids into daycare from 6 weeks onward, or there's something wrong with you.

I've never found an employer who would consider part-time or flex time. Even telecommuting is hard to obtain - even with a high tech employer, even with a proven track record of responsibility and productivity. Most companies don't want to know that you have a life or a family.

Where are these jobs exactly? What are the job sites, job descriptions, salaries, availabilities, etc.?

When I search a major job engine for words like "telecommute" and "part-time" in my high tech field, I get a big fat goose egg.

That's great - some of arent afforded the freedom to make the choice .... thanks to the economy - some of us work full time plus one or two partime jobs

I had to give up my volunteer work to take another paying part time job

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