Since February, 2008 when I first encouraged companies to consider using flexibility—reduced schedules, furloughs, sabbaticals, additional unpaid vacation days, job sharing and contract-based work—as an alternative to layoffs, I’ve gotten the same response from managers, “That’s great, but what about the health benefits I still pay for if I use flexibility?” It’s the fly in the ointment of an otherwise straightforward business case in favor of using flexible alternatives to reduce labor costs while minimizing job cuts. So what’s the answer? (Click here for more)