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  • President Biden’s budget for the fiscal year 2024 proposes establishing a national paid family and medical leave program. This would give workers up to 12 weeks off to tend to a newborn, recover, or care for a family member. In addition, it would include three days of bereavement leave. Biden released a $6.8 trillion budget plan for 2024 which contains a $325 billion commitment to a comprehensive, permanent paid family and medical leave program.

    Beyond the 12 weeks of family and medical leave, the budget also seeks to ensure that families can afford to care for their children, with $600 billion allocated toward making childcare more affordable and accessible. The Department of Labor reported that families spend at least eight percent of their income on childcare costs.

    What This Means

    Currently, the U.S. is one of the few developed countries that doesn’t have a national paid family leave program. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible workers with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for specific reasons, many workers can’t afford to take unpaid time off. Only 21% of workers in the U.S. have access to paid family leave through their employers.

    Biden’s proposal would change that by creating a federal paid family leave program that would be available to all employees, regardless of the size of their employer or how long they’ve been with the company. The proposal also includes measures to ensure that small businesses aren’t burdened by the program, making it easier for workers to access the benefits.

    There are many benefits of a paid family leave program. For employees, it means they can take time off to care for a new child or a sick family member without worrying about losing their job or their income. This can be especially important for low-wage workers who may not have savings to fall back on. For business owners, it can help attract and retain talent by offering a valuable benefit many workers prioritize when searching for a job.

    While all these benefits sound great, it also leads to concerns, including the potential costs for employers and the government. Some have argued that the payroll taxes necessary to fund the program would be too burdensome, especially for small businesses.

    What To Do As A Business Owner

    Despite the concerns, the benefits of a paid family leave program are clear and are an issue that has broad support among U.S. employees. While we wait to see if the program passes, it’s essential as a business owner to take proactive measures to ensure your employees receive the benefits they want and need. A professional employer organization (PEO) such as Group Management Services (GMS) can provide invaluable support to employers and employees regarding family leave policies. One of the main benefits of working with GMS is that we offer a comprehensive benefits package that can include paid family leave. In addition, we help you develop and implement family leave policies that comply with state and federal regulations. This ensures your business complies with the law and avoids potential legal issues. Contact our HR experts to learn how we can help your business.

  • Trying to balance raising a family, especially young children, and working a full-time job is quite challenging, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As schools were shut down and children had to learn remotely, parents had to figure out how to teach their children while working their full-time jobs. In addition, if parents couldn’t work remotely during the very beginning of the pandemic due to their occupation, trying to find a quality, affordable childcare added a whole new layer of stress. However, don’t forget that daycare centers and other childcare resources had to shut down for an extensive amount of time or reduce their hours, making it even more challenging for parents.

    In response to these unprecedented times, parents had to leave or at least consider leaving the workforce as they struggled to meet their employer’s work-from-home demands while helping their children through school. As a business owner who may face the same challenges as your employees, what can you do to help them and their families?

    Consider Offering Childcare Benefits

    From a survey that was conducted by 2,500 working parents, it was found that 20% of the working parents had to leave their job or reduce hours simply because of the lack of childcare. So, while business owners still face challenges attracting and retaining employees, adding childcare benefits could be your best solution. While you might not be able to add a daycare center within your business, there are plenty of other steps you could take to try and help your employees that have families, including the following:

    • Create support structures for women at work
    • Offer flexible work schedules and remote work for all parents
    • Increase childcare support as an employee benefit
    • Provide on-site or local childcare space and supervision
    • Be understanding
    • Provide what they need to succeed
    • Figure out their availability for meetings
    • Encourage transparency and communication

    Studies show that 64% of employees suffer from stress relating to balancing work and family commitments. If you recognize their feelings of stress and anxiety and take steps similar to the above, you can ultimately reduce the stress levels and prevent your employees from burning out or, worse, developing further mental or physical health issues. Reducing the feeling of stress amongst your employees will create a more positive work environment and more productive employees.

    Additional Steps You Can Take

    At the end of the day, offering childcare services within your business or providing employees with additional income to pay for these services probably isn’t within your budget. Alongside the list of steps you can take to make your employees feel heard and valued, you can partner with Group Management Services (GMS). GMS partners with business owners to make their jobs simpler, safer, and stronger. While we can’t build a child daycare center in the basement of your business, we can help by creating a benefits package that reflects these enhancements. We work with you to develop a plan so your employees can have the work-life balance they need to juggle the constant battle of their kids and careers. Whether it’s adding more paid time off days or providing them with resources to support their need, we’ve got you covered. Your employees are your biggest asset. The last thing you want is for them to leave your company because they don’t have the flexibility they need. Contact us today to learn how we can help you thrive and stand out during these challenging times.