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 ompanies
currently lose $3 billion a year as a
result of child care related
absences. Doing nothing about
worker's child care problems will cost
companies more than doing something. 1
Jefferson County employers should
consider the following examples of
policies that have proven effective in
reducing employer costs:
- Flextime,
family leave, and job sharing
have successfully reduced
turnover and absenteeism.
Absenteeism dropped by 50% when
Johnson & Johnson implemented
flexible schedules and family
leave. Aetna saved $1
million a year in training costs
as retention of workers was
improved through flex time
benefits.
- Companies
have several cost effective
alternatives to building
on-site child care centers :
- Contracting
with resource and referral
agencies to help employee
families locate quality child
care and related family support
services;
- Adopting
area child care facilities by
donating equipment and
supplies that can be used in the
care of the children;
- Purchasing
slots in area child care
centers and family child care
homes, or offering vouchers that
employees can use at a reduced
rate in area child care
facilities; and
- Pooling
resources with other
companies to create
scholarship funds that assist
child care providers caring for
employee's children in
upgrading their skills.
"If
American industry wants to be the most
competitive in the world, we need
employees who feel secure about their
children and arrive at work ready to
perform their jobs." 2
1
Barbara Reisman, Child Care Action
Campaign
2 Elliot Lehman, Co-Chairman
Emeritus of Fel-Pro Inc.
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