Practice Management

I absolutely hate this fake gas crises in which we are stuck.  It is not that we do have a future gas and oil problem, it is just that we do not have one now.

That said, this bout with insanity will probably lead us to finally making the decisions that many of us, and many of our employers and courts, find so hard.

For example, the Dallas Business Journal recently reported that Dallas area employers were stepping in to help employees find some relief from the high gas prices.

Some are obvious, like handing out gas cards in various amounts.  However, more of them were helping to promote and find public transportation to employees, allowing employees to "telecommute" (an old term), and condensing the work week for employees.

Wells Fargo Bank for example recently started allowing bank employees to work from locations closer to their homes.  What gets me is that did not do this before.

From my perspective, this is green too.  Regardless of soaring gas prices, this should always be encouraged.  A shorter drive almost always means a happier worker (and now a wealthier worker as well).

Part of the problem, I believe, has not been the employees up to this point.  It has been the inflexibility of the employers.  Gas prices cause harm and protests.  Now, employers have to face losing good workers and staff to their inflexibility.  So, they are changing.

And, it is not just money.  It is time.  Commuting means loss of sleep.  Loss of comfort.  Loss of time.  Especially now, it means loss of money.  Working from home, or closer to home is better in so many ways, not the least of which is financial.  I believe the slogan should be -- DON'T COMMUTE -- COMPUTE!  It beats all alternatives.  It beats cars, car pooling, HOV lanes, and public transportation.