Chicago Tribune Carol Kleiman Column.

By Carol Kleiman, Chicago Tribune Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jun. 17--In a time of deep budget cuts and belt tightening by employers nationwide, employees are concerned that work/life programs might be in dire peril.

But because benefits such as child and elder care, employee counseling, flexible hours, telecommuting, alternate work arrangement and job sharing, to name a few, have become so embedded in the workplace, most employers are not cutting back on programs--even though they probably aren't adding new ones.

"Work/life issues are not in peril but are alive and well. They're very much a part of how we do business," said Kathy …