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8.01.2024
Talk to Your Employer About Family Support
Making sure your child is receiving proper care in a high-quality learning setting is one of the most significant challenges a parent can face. When the responsibilities of parenthood and employment meet, both roles become even more daunting and time-consuming.
You are not alone.
In Nevada, 64.6% of children ages 0-5 and 70.6% of children ages 6-12 live in households with all parents in the workforce. While the demand for care is high, the supply is low. Nevada licensed child care only meets the needs of 34.8% of children ages 0 – 5.
Being present for your family and your company can cause competing interests and make it very difficult to do both well.
By making sure your children are cared for and safe, you can be fully engaged and productive at work.
How do you bridge the gap between family needs and company policies? Talk to your employer.
Approaching your employer about child care can feel intimidating, so consider some of the following suggestions for starting the conversation to a mutually beneficial solution.
- It is important to understand the current supports/benefits your company offers. Review your employee handbook or schedule a meeting with HR to review existing policies.
- Plan what you are going to say. Describe the struggles you are having. Do pick-up and drop-off times for your child interfere with your work schedule? Are you having trouble finding quality child care in your area? Are you unable to afford quality child care? Is work-life balance at jeopardy because of the long commute between home, child care and work? Do you need time in the day for appointments at school, the doctor, or dentist? Whatever the issue, make sure you can explain it to your employer using specific details.
- Keep the conversation positive and professional. Make sure to schedule a time that works for both you and your supervisor. This can be a difficult conversation, especially since you may be stressed, and the topic involves your personal life. Try to stick to the key points and maintain a win-win attitude.
- Identify solutions that will work for you, your employer, and your co-workers. Be open to your employer’s suggestions. Some examples are listed below:
- Flexible work arrangements: There are countless options for flexibility at work. For example:
- Occasional flexibility for appointments
- Alternate schedule to help with pick-up and drop-off
- Compressed work week (four 10-hour days)
- Set core hours when everyone is in the office
- Hybrid work week, some days remote and some days in the office
- Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts: DCFSAs are tax- advantage accounts that allow employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible dependent care expenses.
- Connections to local resources: There are many local agencies that help support parents. For a list of resources that you may qualify for visit: https://www.first5nevada.org/ and navigate to the “SEE WHAT YOU QUALIFY FOR” button.
- Subsidized Child Care: Companies can set aside dollars to help their employees pay for child care. The allocated dollars can often be pre-tax and companies can utilize federal tax credit 45F to recoup some of the investment.
- Free consultation through The Children’s Cabinet to help businesses understand their employee needs and find mutually beneficial solutions. Ask your employer to explore resources at: https://www.childrenscabinet.org/businesses/
Employers who provide support to their workforce through family-friendly policies and benefits see return on investments through reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and higher retention.
Having family-friendly workplaces helps employees by creating a better work-life balance and reducing stress both in their careers and at home, thereby allowing them to reach their full potential and contribute to their work to the best of their ability.
