Employees who are balancing child care and work face challenges that can result in absenteeism, tardiness and distractions at work. Access and affordability are child care challenges across the state, with a large percentage of Vermont children needing care so their parent/s can work.
Also, when parents leave the workforce, they lose their current salary, plus incur a loss of potential wage growth and lost retirement savings. Over time, a parent who leaves the workforce loses up to four times their annual salary per year. you can use an online calculator to estimate the overall loss.
Tips:
- Providing information on finding quality care (child care or elder care) can save employees a great deal of time and help grow their knowledge of available resources.
- Even providing a stipend or scholarship can help make care more affordable; the stipend could also cover elder care.
- Some employers have offered in-kind service or funds to a child care program in exchange for spots for their employees.
- On-site childcare facilities are typically more affordable for larger employers or for groups of employers working together to create a regional facility.
- Science shows that 90% of the brain develops by age five. Supporting quality early childhood care and education is an investment in your employees’ families and our future workforce.
- Job-sharing, remote work and flexible leave time can also help with child care.
