Employers & Businesses: Introduction 

• Child care breakdowns leading to employee absences cost businesses $3 billion annually in the United States.
• 29% of employed parents experienced some kind of child care breakdown in the past three months, and those child care breakdowns were associated with absenteeism, tardiness, and reduced concentration at work (Bond et al., 1998).
• The average American working parent misses nine days of work per year (Carillo, 2004). As children move through day care and into elementary school, the number of days missed increases to thirteen. These absences are costly for employers, as is turnover, estimated at one and half times annual salary for an exempt employee and three quarters of annual wages for hourly workers (Phillips and Resiman, 1992).

• In a 2000 American Business Collaboration report, 63% of member employees reported improved productivity while using quality dependent care (ABT Associates, 2000).
• 54% of employers report that child care services had a positive impact on employee absenteeism, reducing missed workdays by as much as 20%-30% (Friedman, 1986).
• Company child care programs can reduce turnover by 37% to 60% (Ransom & Burud, 1988).

• Eighty-five percent of employers report that providing child care services improved employee recruitment (Survey conducted by the National Employer-Supported Child Care Project, 1984).

• Two-thirds of employers report that benefits of child care programs exceed costs or that the programs are cost-neutral;
• Three-quarters of employers who offer flexible work schedules find that benefits exceed costs or that the programs are cost-neutral; and
• Of those employers with family leave policies, three-quarters find that the benefits exceed costs or that the programs are cost-neutral.

• Providing Child Care Information - Employees with child care needs are often unaware or unsure of where to turn for answers to questions about child care. In order to help employees become effective and well-educated consumers, employers can provide information and counseling about available child care arrangements. This service often includes education for parents about what constitutes quality programs and subsidies available for lower-income families
• Hosting Parenting or Child Care Seminars - Hold lunchtime or after work seminars to inform working parents about available child care resources and parenting supports. Local resource and referral professionals can be invited to make presentations to your employees. Information can also be disseminated through bulletin boards, newsletters, or a library.
• Developing flex-time and leave policies - In trying to balance work and family responsibilities, time and scheduling problems often arise. Parents' work schedules are interrupted by child care breakdowns, illnesses, and family needs that cost employers in lost work time. Employers can help avert these conflicts through flex-time and flexible leave policies such as flexible scheduling, compressed time, job sharing, part time options, telecommuting, extended Parental Leave, Use of Sick Leave for Family Illness and Personal Leave.
• Providing subsidies for employees' child care expenses - Child care expenses can place severe financial strain on a family. Many families spend at least 10% of their income to pay for child care services. In single-parent or low-income families, that percentage can be considerably higher. The high cost of care prevents some families from choosing the highest quality care. As a result, parents may select unstable arrangements that create greater stress and reduce their effectiveness at work, and may compromise their child's development. Employers can help families with child care costs in a number of ways including: Dependent Care Spending Assistance Plans (DCAP); Flexible Benefit Plans, Child Care Vouchers or Reimbursements; and Child Care Vendor Plans.
• Creating and Supporting Child Care Services - Employers can elect to provide or support the creation of child care services themselves by developing an On-Site or Near-Site Child Care Center or by partnering with other employers in the area to share the expenses of operating a child care center for their employees. Additional child care support services may include: Back-up or Emergency Care; Sick Child Care; Odd Hour Care; Before/After School Programs; Summer Camp and School Holiday Care.

• Child care referrals for your employees.
• Information on and access to child care subsidy programs.
• Consumer education for parents on how to select quality child care.
• Data collection and analysis. CCR&Rs are the number one source of all the latest information on early childhood services in your community and across the country. CCR&R staff is available to sit on planning committees to provide data, research and lend technical support in the development of workplace child care programs.
• Training. Highly trained professionals, with knowledge of current trends and information in the early childhood field, are available to provide training on a wide variety of topics tailored to your needs.
• Technical Assistance. CCR&R staff can provide technical assistance to aid in the development and implementation of a child care program.
• Advocacy. CCR&Rs participate in a variety of advocacy efforts to ensure that all families have equal access to affordable, high quality child care.