Naeole losing another legislative aide
Tiffany Edwards Hunt was at the Health Conference in Waikoloa Saturday wishing she were home with her new husband. Weary of the grind of being a County Council legislative aide while pregnant, she said she'll be leaving her job with Councilwoman Emily Naeole next month.
And unless she can bring her baby -- due to be born in March -- with her back to work, she won't return.
"The only way I will stay on as legislative aide is if I can bring my baby to work with me ... I am not sure the County Clerk will allow that and Emily has yet to discuss that with her," Hunt wrote in a note she handed me after we talked at the conference.
Hunt plans to leave the Fifth District office in January after a six months on the job and she is eager to train a replacement. Applicants may call.
So short of doing something like using Contingency funds for a nursery in the County building, that will make three legislative aides in the first 13 months for Councilwoman Naeole and leave a big hole to fill in her office. Hunt was huge in pulling her boss's public image out of the mess that Barbara Hale left her back in May.
Now finding someone who will accept all the special challenges of the job will be difficult, but finding someone who is also as capable, loyal and knowledgeable about the district as Hunt will be next to impossible
Which means, of course, that this must be a job for the Kupuna Council.
Hunter Bishop
in Politics, Commentary
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Reader Comments (10)
I commend Ms. Hunt for lasting this long in a very difficult job. As a mother myself, I understand the prioritizing her child over a job is the most important thing one can do.
and the science behind early child development
It is- quite frankly- appalling that TE would want to have
a creche.
Having said this, before gender modernists start objecting. allow me to offer a alternative to this outdated 1970's nonsense.
It seems to me that the role of TE up to now was defined by her skill in the area of communication.
So since that involves phone and computer work as opposed to
testifying and constitute interaction why not telecommute?
The district of Puna is ripe for the application of the (proven effective) greatest liberator of career moms since
stay home dads- the online PC.
I am disappointed that TE would even consider slinging her precious bundle so as to maintain the personal gratification
her JOB provides.
In closing.
I believe that one of the most overlooked issues in our public policy today is gender equality in government.
However, having the new mom/baby employee on site in the name of equality is a solution which goes against everything we have learned about children.
Sorry that some of you are finding out the scoops on this blog... Some of you have come into the office saying so, and I guess I should have sent out a mass email giving you the heads up...
Know that Emily and I talked about this the day after Thanksgiving, after I had a heart-to-heart discussion with my husband. I feel like it is the best interest of my family, of this office, and of the District of Puna that I reveal now that I don't intend to return from maternity leave -- anticipating that as soon as I lay eyes on my baby, I'm not going to want to hand her off to a babysitter at six weeks old... The reality is, if you haven't accumulated enough vacation/sick time, temporary disability insurance (TDI) allows for only six weeks off after the baby. To me, this would be inhumane. I could take a leave of absence without pay, but I don't believe this is the kind of job where the position can sit empty for three or four months... So, it's best to start looking for a replacement for me now, while I am able to show the person the ropes... I mean, my predecessor wiped out the computer database, so I've worked hard to make sure that District 5 has templates of resolutions and ordinances, letterheads, etc. All this can be shown to and shared with my replacement, so the transition will be seamless.
As for the direction this discussion is headed re: gender in the workplace, well, I guess I'm glad my personal experience inspires it... It's a discussion that needs to be had.
As for this statement, "I am disappointed that TE would even consider slinging her precious bundle so as to maintain the personal gratification her JOB provides."
The author made me laugh out loud. If you only knew what truly gives me personal gratification... (Let's see, on the list before JOB is FAMILY, FRIENDS, WRITING and SURFING.) Nothing will bring more personal gratification than to be able to stay at home with my daughter. .
If anybody has hit it head on so far in this discussion, it's punagirl --- and I'm not usually liking anything this person writes... (Thank you for the kind words, punagirl.)
I'm just truly thankful that I have an awesome husband (Jeff Hunt of Jeff Hunt Surfboards in Pahoa) who supports me staying home with the baby.
I'm also truly thankful that I have developed the skills and contacts to be able to resume my freelance journalism career, and that that will allow me to stay home with my baby or bring her along with me on outings... Other women aren't so lucky...
So, all that said, philosophize away about women of childbearing age in the workplace... how the quality of our society is deteriorating, in part, because both parents are working and relying on other people or schools to raise their children... It is a very important discussion that should be had.
With aloha, TCEH
I floated it when I first went to work with Bob Jacobson (in the same role Tiff is in now with Emily, 'Legislative Assistant').
Bob was open though not enthusiastic, and certainly not encouraging about the receptiveness of then-County Clerk Constance Kiriu. After working a short while I agreed about Clerk Kiriu's unlikely receptiveness. So, I didn't bother.
Certainly the 40-mile round trip did not encourage me to stay after one year.
A great deal of a Legislative Assistant's work does not require a physical presence in a County Office; some of the work does require standard office hours. A lot of an LA's work also requires attending Council and Committee meetings on both sides of the island, as well as public hearings and other 'District' work.
Creche for County employees? Not something to be too quickly dismissed. Such do exist. A few relevant case examples in similar situations (USA or anywhere else) might be an interesting place to start that discussion.
Parents and children benefit from sharing each other's day in many ways.
A Father and Husband Myself.
:)=
No one should question the personal decision of an individual in regards to staying at home or going back to work. Especially considering Tiff will be financially OK. Why is it accepted for someone on government assistance to stay at home, but Tiff is not given that same option without arguement.
Let this new family make the decisions best for themselves!
Her letter explains why this way of going about things is best for everyone.
I do believe that you have made our council woman look experienced despite the fact that even though she needs much more time on the job to be knowledgeable of her position. You and you alone have turned the tide so as to speak for many of us and our views of Auntie E. I commend you for what you have accomplished. If you decide to retire from being the councils aid you most certainly have that right and my best wishes. However you may want to reconsider with the computer technology to office-home link-ups and some baby sitting.
I like most males agree that the workplace is no place to raise a baby [unless one may want to be rasing a lawyer] they can’t help it but it is a baby’s nature to demand constant attention. Besides your co-workers really don’t want to hear the crying of a baby no matter what they say to be polite.
I for one will miss your contributions from the office of our council woman if you do choose to take that avenue.
The Lack
I'm sure your daughter's heard too much politics already.
NOTHING, is going to mean more to you than the life you'll bring forth.
Forget about Hilo/Puna Politics, as I have when we talked last in your office, and my life has become more of what it was before, "getting involved/banging my head against the brick wall".
My friends baby girl, Alessa, my godchild is 3 months, growin like a root. I feel a whole lot better seeing new life than listening to old buzzards. Don't even THINK about all the kaha kahi you've been livin with in your most recent job, go lay on da beach let your baby feel the surf pound.
Go enjoy your hapi ness. Write baby learns to surf books.
A L O H A
Peter
I couldn't say it any better than Peter (and thank you Peter). You have done an incredible job and have helped Emily over some humps in the learning curve of her new position.
Now is the time to talk about child care in all type of office jobs. A place where the mother has constant access to her child and do her work. Dreaming I know. Guess this is why we wish that men could get pregnant once, a whole lot a legislation would soon change!!!!!!!!!!!!
Take care and look forward to reading your articles.
Mahalo nui loa,
Laurie