Obama Promotes Family-Friendly Hours at Businesses

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is promoting flexible workplace hours and policies while telling a conference of female business leaders that it's not just a women's issue.

Speaking Tuesday night to Fortune magazine's 2010 "Most Powerful Women Summit," Obama said that having family-friendly working arrangements is an economic competitiveness issue. He said that companies with flexible arrangements can have lower turnover and absenteeism and higher productivity.

Obama said he wants federal agencies to be models with policies like mobile workplaces and flexible schedules. He also supports paid leave programs and child tax credits.