Dual-Career Couples in the Public Sector

WILLA M. BRUCE is Associate Professor of Public Administration and a Faculty Fellow at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has published in the areas of job satisfaction, organization development, and problem employee management. Her previous book, Problem Employee Management: Proactive Strategies for Human Resource Managers, was published in 1990 by Quorum Books. She also does consulting on personnel-related issues with local government.CHRISTINE M. REED is Associate Professor of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has published in the areas of strategic planning, child day care policy, and dual-career couples in public organizations. Dr. Reed is a member of both the American Society for Public Administration and the International Personnel Management Association, and has been a frequent speaker on the topic of dual-career couples in the public sector.

As increasing numbers of women enter the workforce, it has become more and more common to find husbands and wives who are both committed to careers in the public sector. This book offers the first detailed analysis of this important new segment of the workforce. Based on extensive surveys, it presents a comprehensive profile of public sector career couples and explores solutions to common problems faced by human resource managers in this field.The authors first examine dual-career couples as a segment of the workforce, the lifestyles of these couples, and the challenges they face in work and family life. Current management practices in the public sector are carefully considered, with special attention to the recruitment and retention of dual-career couples in the face of prevailing anti-nepotism policies. In addition to providing guidance on legislative issues and judicial policies that affect the employment of dual-career couples, the authors develop a model of interpersonal and management skills for integrating dual-career couples into the workplace. Finally, strategies for resolving policy obstacles are suggested. A valuable tool for human resources professionals, this book will also be of interest in the areas of labor relations, public administration, and policy studies.

In addition to providing guidance on legislative issues and judicial policies that affect the employment of dual-career couples, the authors explore strategies for resolving critical policy obstacles and integrating these employees into the workplace.

The Dual-Career Workforce: An Emerging ChallengePortraits of Dual-Career CouplesCurrent Management PracticesDual-Career Couples in Public OrganizationsLegal Issues and the Dual-Career CoupleIntegrating Dual-Career Couples into Your Work PlaceInto the Twenty-first Century: A Framework for ActionAppendix: Research MethodologyIndex