Solutions

Childcare supports for every employer

We know that solving the childcare crisis will take a multitude of actors, solutions, policies, and at the end of the day—systemic change. The below solutions are some of the ways that employers can begin to make a difference.

All categories
Promote education & learning
Offer tax benefits
Invest in innovation
Foster a care culture
Provide childcare assistance
Advocate for public policy change
Enhance private policies

Local, state, and federal policies can support the care movement. Sign a petition for the extension of the Child Care Stabilization program, follow current legislative initiatives to support care, support a campaign, or understand previous policies enacted for child care.

See your state's initiatives

Advocates are fighting for the inclusion of domestic work in policies across the country to protect & enhance the rights of domestic workers. There are opportunities to sign petitions, vote, & call your representatives to mobilize our collective power for the care economy.

Advocate for change

When emergencies arise with children, parents might need to step out of the workforce. Companies can provide support to help workers when things fall through.

Explore employer care solutions

Join a business community to share knowledge, work alongside other leaders, and work to standardize best practices for employers.

Join a coalition

Leaders in the care economy are working to build compelling, informative, and thought-provoking campaigns that showcase the realities of childcare work, how to access benefits, and where to go for support.

Watch this

Child care unionization to organize collective bargaining agreements to benefit the care workforce as a whole is gaining momentum. This approach, called 'sectoral bargaining,' has the power to make sweeping changes for large numbers of care workers and providers.

Learn more

Apply for CDCTC funding to help pay for eligible care costs since both parents are employed. Credits can range in qualifying amounts, maxing out at $6,000.

Learn more

Offer DCFSA to support working parents with caregiving costs. These accounts allow caregivers to use pre-tax dollars to pay for care, saving up to 30% on services.

Read the Employer Guide

Provide a clear, digestible playbook for families in your geographic regions to find & access care options, highlighting centers, family-based care, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, & Head Start/Early Head start programs. A Care Advocate can be an internal or external contact who helps employees navigate the care landscape and approach the company's benefits.

Explore ways to support

Set goals for representation by gender & race, clearly showing role & location breakdown with a specific target for diversity in leadership positions.

Read more

Survey employees to understand the most pressing needs of working parents to inform your benefits strategies. Invest in education of managers, employees, & leadership to understand the most-needed benefits at your company, create a roadmap for realistic implementation, & broadcast awareness of initiatives to promote uptake.

Expore an Employee Benefits Survey

Provide sustainable salaries that factor in cost-of-living and the ability for employed parents to raise a family and pay for childcare supports. This ultimately propels parents in the workforce and can boost the economy.

Read more

There's a variety of innovators in the care space who are piloting new ways to support the care economy. Some examples to learn more about: The Mom Project, Holding Co., Mother Honestly, NDWA, Moms First, The Early Childhood and Business Advisory Council, Instant Teams, & more.

Meet these 2023 Innovators

Ample time-off, like guaranteed sick & vacation days, flexible & predictable scheduling, & emergency days off or PTO for caregiving can all support workers in their ability to maintain their jobs.

Consider these options

Proximity to an issue helps people understand the realities & barriers others face. National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) has resources to better understand the stories of workers.

Learn more

Managers & hiring representatives have a direct influence on how the workplace responds & celebrates parenthood. Provide training on parental benefits, de-penalizing caregiving or gaps on resumes, highlight skills acquired through caregiving, & train responses to parental needs.

Review an example

Joining a mentorship or sponsorship program for parents can help propel them forward in their roles, connect them to other parents, & match them with promotion opportunities.

See examples

Offering on-site can support the retention, promotion, & inclusion of parents in the workforce. Employers can recoup hard costs through the Employer-Provided Childcare Credit.

Patagonia's case study

Private funding or direct cash to support the childcare economy can enhance the quality, availability, and affordability of childcare. Organizations, like The Raising Child Care Fund, pool funding to make grants to the early childhood education system.

Explore RCCF

Small businesses or those just beginning to invest in parents can pool resources to contract with a childcare agency for affordable, quality care–similar to the model established by larger companies, such as SAS and Bank of America with Bright Horizons, and similar to health insurance pools for small businesses.

Learn more

As parents transition out of full-time care work & into the workforce, returnship programs are great ways to upskill parents & match them with quality roles.

Explore the list

Many governments try to lighten the financial burden on care providers through subsidies. Funds might be used to lower costs for low-income families, pay expenses during holidays or breaks, or compensate for absences.

Explore NY's assistance program

Governments can provide investments to subsidize salaries for childcare to remain competitive & retain the infrastructure of the care economy. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) supported childcare workers on a federal level through the Child Care Stabilization program. There are programs on a state & local level that can boost salaries to retain workers & maintain availability of services for families.

Learn about the ARPA's program

Companies can make the transition back into the workplace easier for parents by providing a range of supports, like flexible schedules, lactation rooms, predictable shifts, working hours during care hours, & more. It's best for companies to understand the needs of their unique workforce.

Read ways to support

Case Studies

No more guessing on what's needed to fix the broken childcare system. Click through the carousel below to see solutions in action.
Case Studies

Michigan Tri-Share

Through Michigan Tri-Share, the cost of an employee's child care is shared equally among the employer, the employee and the State of Michigan—a three-way split—with coordination being provided regionally by a MI Tri-Share facilitator hub.

The program has reduced absenteeism, increased retention, and improved engagement for employers.
Learn More
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Case Studies

California Paid Family Leave

California implemented a paid family leave benefit for people who need to take time off work to care for a family member or child. If eligible, residents can receive benefit payments for up to 8 weeks, compensating 60-70% of their typical weekly wages. Implementing paid leave has doubled the use of maternity leave significantly uplifting less advantaged families.

Implementing paid leave has doubled the use of maternity leave, significantly uplifting less advantaged families.
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Case Studies

Magnolia Mother's Trust

The Trust has been providing low-income, Black mothers in Jackson, Mississippi $1,000 a month for 12 months, since 2018. They recently released a study of their alumni and found that even after these direct cash transfers ended, they had a positive impact on parenting, parent-child relationships, and children's mental health.

The Trust has provided low-income, Black mothers in Jackson, Mississippi $1,000 a month for 12 months, since 2018.
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Illustration of a childcare worker with children on their lap and playing around them

Families Served

To date, the program has served 318 mothers and their families.

Wraparound Services

Beyond the essential recurring cash transfers, the moms had access to a wide array of support services.

Outcomes

The program shows an increase in mother’s confidence, hope for their children, and satisfaction with the care for their children.
Case Studies

The CARE Fund

The Care for All with Respect and Equity (CARE) Fund will invest $50 million over five years in movement building for a universal publicly supported care infrastructure that will fuel economies, improve the wellbeing of kids and families, create millions of good jobs, promote equity, and enable people with disabilities and older adults to live independently with safety and dignity.

The CARE Fund will invest $50 million over five years in movement building for a universal care infrastructure.
Learn More
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Case Studies

NDWA & Roma

NDWA partnered with the co-producers and writers of the film Roma, to increase the visibility and value of domestic workers in mainstream culture, empower domestic workers to see themselves as protagonists, and accelerate the adoption of solutions that support domestic workers.

“Domestic workers don’t get the respect, dignity, or basic protections they deserve. You can help.”
Learn More
Image from Roma film, Character Cleo seen from car window holding child

Domestic Workforce

There are 2.5 million domestic workers in the USA.

Uninsured

65% of US domestic workers do not have health insurance.

Underpaid

70% of domestic workers in the US are paid less than $13/hour.
Case Studies

Paid Leave AI

Moms First is committed to changing the way motherhood is seen and valued through creative campaigns and compelling thought leadership. In December 2023, they launched PaidLeave.ai, a first-of-its-kind chatbot that’s designed to tell New Yorkers exactly how much paid time off they’re entitled to, and help guide them through the application process.

In New York, family leave pays up to $13,019.32, to care for a child or family member.
Learn More
Paid Leave AI illustration of Statue of Liberty holding a baby
Case Studies

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo has implemented Glide — Relaunch program, an 8-week returnship program, for talent to glide back into the workforce. This is part of their effort to enhance gender-diverse representation, especially at mid to senior levels, and create a gender-inclusive work environment. They believe that in the power that caretakers can have in infusing fresh perspectives and innovative approaches into the workplace. The program has delivered on their goal to diversify their workforce, bringing in more gender, racial, and ethnic minority employees.

105 hires from the program, 87% from underrepresented groups.
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400+ People

400+ people have been supported globally through the program since the launch in 2020.

Promotion

Participants who meet performance expectations will be promoted into full-time, benefit-eligible roles over a 2-week conversion timeline.
Case Studies

Vivvi

Vivvi makes care and learning more accessible and affordable for families by partnering with employers of all sizes to provide child care as a benefit. Some of the services offered are on/near site care, backup care, tutoring, care cash, and resources to connect employees to care.

Employer-sponsored childcare, reinvented.
Learn More
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Case Studies

Mud\Wtr

Mud\Wtr has created robust private policies to support and celebrate parenthood with the assumption that if you give employees a comprehensive, radical benefits package, employees will work harder, create better, and stay longer. They’re testing policies like unlimited paid time off, money for meditation retreats, an annual individual paid trip, and monthly book budgets, hoping that it will set a new standard for companies supporting well-being in the workplace and supporting the balance of responsibilities at home and work.

Mud\Wtr is currently valued at $138 million and they’ve retained their 22 employees to date.
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Child Stipend

$500 per month as a child stipend for each child under the age of 5 years old.

Well-being Stipend

$200 per month as a well-being stipend for each employee.

Paid Leave

4 weeks of paid pregnancy disability leave and/or 12 weeks of paid parental bonding leave.
Case Studies

Patagonia

Through Michigan Tri-Share, the cost of an employee's child care is shared equally among the employer, the employee and the State of Michigan—a three-way split—with coordination being provided regionally by a MI Tri-Share facilitator hub.

The program has reduced absenteeism, increased retention, and improved engagement for employers.
Learn More
Illustration of mother handing piggy bank to childcare worker

Stipends

Child-care stipends for parents who do not live near one of Patagonia’s child-care centers.

Health Care

Company-paid health care and sick time for all employees.

Paid Leave

4 weeks of paid pregnancy disability leave and/or 12 weeks of paid parental bonding leave.
Case Studies

Patagonia

Patagonia provides 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, 12 weeks of paid paternity leave, and every family is given access to an on-site childcare center with extended days (enrollment is subsidized but not free). Parents can bring children into work, creating a culture that values family. They pay for a caretaker to accompany parents on business trips. After implementing these childcare policies, they saw a 95% retention rate for mothers at the company, leading to 30% of the costs recouped on providing these benefits. They also recouped 50% through tax benefits and 11% on employee engagement rates. With these calculations alone, Patagonia recovers 91% of the costs of childcare annually, excluding the obvious intangible benefits. After including intangible benefits, they estimate an ROI of 115- 125%.

Patagonia sees an ROI of 115-125% on their on-site childcare costs annually.

Stipends

Child-care stipends for parents who do not live near one of Patagonia’s child-care centers.

Paid Leave

4 weeks of paid pregnancy disability leave and/or 12 weeks of paid parental bonding leave

Health Care

Company-paid health care and sick time for all employees.
We need to give attention to how deeply underpaid early learning educators are. Early educators themselves are often living in poverty and are not able to send their own children to the centers in which they teach.
Dr. Laura Justice
Executive Director of The Ohio State University Crane Center for Early Childhood Research & Policy
Illustration of mother handing piggy bank to childcare worker
Childcare and benefits for parents cannot just be an employer offering or benefit, it will create a broken system, like how we have a broken system of healthcare. You can’t have a conversation about the care economy without talking about public funding – it’s just too expensive.
Anna Nordberg
Writer & Editor
Illustration of an orange piggy bank and money
The business community’s voice is a lot more powerful than individual voices. If they say something is an issue, it will be heard.
Aaron Merchen
Senior Director, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Illustration of business people in bright colored suits
Our country has completely failed to do what most other industrialized nations take for granted: Build a care infrastructure.
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
Executive Director of Moms Rising
Illustration of mother kneeling with child
America has faced a childcare crisis for years. The supply is way below the demand, and many lower-income families either live in areas outside of major cities that are childcare deserts or barely scrape together tuition.
Reshma Saujani
CEO & Founder of Moms First
Illustration of family, father with child on shoulders and mother in a suit holding a briefcase
Domestic work is the work that makes all other work possible. America is deep in a care crisis that reaches every community across the country.
Ai-Jen Poo
President, National Domestic Workers Alliance
Illustration of a childcare worker with children on their lap and playing around them