We believe employers play a critical role in the childcare movement with the ability to provide resources, supportive policies, and paid time off for childcare duties. Research shows that frontline, low-wage, and gig workers are often disproportionately left out of benefits that full-time or part-time workers receive, including childcare benefits. We are on a mission to change this, and provide pathways for every employer – whether small or large – to play a critical role in helping families meet their basic needs, and understand the impact of childcare on their business models. This session will center the voices of employers of frontline workers, revealing the bright spots & challenges that they face when supporting these working families.

For context: The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects have had profound implications for women in the workforce – over 2 million women have still not returned to the workplace, many due to the lack of affordable and accessible childcare. The implications of this social and economic issue highlight: (1) the US has a broken care system that has disproportionately affected working families, especially BIPOC women, and frontline or deskless workers (2) women, in particular, mothers, tend to bear the brunt of unpaid caregiving responsibilities, and (3) the economic consequences of this workforce exodus not only affects families and individual households, but business growth and the U.S. economy suffer overall, too. 

In partnership with American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Pivotal Ventures, and Working for Women,  the Case for Childcare Collaborative  is committed to explore the business case for supporting working families, the childcare economy, and early childhood education. We concluded Phase 1 of our work, launching a site that shows employers the business benefits of supporting childcare.  In this session, we officially launch Phase 2 and aim to identify tangible policies & practices employers can implement to further support frontline workers who are parents. 

This is the first event in a series. Register for our second event here.