I believe a job can change your life, and I know I’m not alone.
Pennsylvania boasts over 6.5 million workers, but there’s one barrier that impedes more than 60 percent of our job seekers from reaching their highest potential: access to affordable child care. It’s a thorn embedded in Pennsylvania’s rising Gen Z and Millennial workforce. And it’s keeping our economy from achieving a competitive edge.
When our 24/7 on-call phone rings at 7 p.m. on a Sunday night, there’s a common reason. The caller apologizes profusely. She’s nearly in tears, fearing her hopes for a bright financial future are shattered. This was the opportunity she had worked so hard for. Now she has to rescind the amazing new job we arranged because her child care fell through.
This exact scenario plays out thousands of times each month across Pennsylvania, and it’s not only affecting the staffing industry. It happens in professional services, health care, industrial, warehouse, legal and IT. Every company in the state searching for talent and hiring has experienced the repercussions from a lack of accessible, affordable child care in Pennsylvania. It’s not just a women’s issue, either. It affects the entire workforce, and we can’t wait for new policies or for the supply of day care centers to meet the demands of young families. That will take years. We need solutions today.
Whether you’re a business owner, working parent, CEO, or job seeker, we invite you to be part of finding those solutions. Join the Cumberland County Commission on Women (CCCW) for a Child Care Town Hall on May 29 at the Members 1st Community Room in Enola, 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. We’ll explore opportunities to support our working families and keep our companies on a path to growth and prosperity.
On average, U.S. families spend 27 percent of their household income on child care, according to Care.com. In a June 2024 report from ReadyNation, there is an estimated annual economic cost of $2.4 billion in lost earnings, productivity and tax revenue due to gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system.
As a small business owner, I believe private enterprise must be part of the solution, even if it’s a near-term solution. I began brainstorming all the “what ifs.” What if our staffing firm could be a temporary bridge for the worker and the company? What if I could bring other businesses to the table to find more solutions? What if we tackled this crisis from a business mindset and educated companies on simple steps to help families find affordable child care? I began sharing my ideas with business colleagues and CEOs and received positive feedback.
A few months ago, I reached out to a nearby day care and met with the owner and leadership team. I asked the providers if there was a way to hold a few spaces for my job seekers, so they wouldn’t have to extinguish a dream-come-true job offer before they ignited success. What would it cost to do this?
They were surprised. They had never had a company ask for this. And thankfully, they loved the idea. If they could reserve a spot or two for my job seekers, then I would carry the cost for the first few weeks to enable the employee to accept the new job and not worry about losing a day care spot. I would work out a repayment plan and spread it across several months. Employees don’t typically receive their first paycheck until they have completed their first two weeks and may not have the extra cash required to pay for day care up front.
This small boost allows them to eliminate the fears of losing child care spots and delivers the peace of mind to be fully present in their new job. It also allows time to find alternate day care.
My decision didn’t require me to meet with my legislators or seek the governor’s support (although that would be wonderful!), but it does require a small financial investment which will have long-term positive benefits to the employee, the employer and the economy. I know the cost of executive time in professional interviews and the HR costs to companies to search, vet and hire new talent. It’s expensive, and we shouldn’t risk losing our best talent because child care is inaccessible and unaffordable.
I’m not alone in hoping to find more solutions. I’ve met some incredible business leaders who will bring expertise and willpower to our Child Care Town Hall on May 29, hosted by the Cumberland County Commission on Women.
“Cumberland County women not only want, but need, more options for how to best balance home, work and kids. At the Cumberland County Commission for Women, we’ve learned that access to reliable, affordable and accessible child care is not only helpful, it’s necessary to build a successful workforce and strong economy,” says Brianda Freistat, chair, CCCW. “Our first town hall in 2024 explored and defined the problem of child care within the county. Now, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves with our friends in the business community to find ways to collectively solve this problem.”
We’re serious about finding the best solutions possible to help parents and employers. We’ve assembled a powerhouse panel including Robert Carl Jr., president and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, who is a fierce advocate for Pennsylvania’s investment in child care teacher recruitment and retention.
“The child care staffing crisis has reached critical levels and is affecting employers and working families alike. Here in Schuylkill County, we have experienced a 20 percent reduction in the number of child care providers since 2019,” says Carl. “In a recent parent survey conducted by our chamber, 63 percent of parents reported being placed on a waiting list for child care. These waiting lists ranged from months up to three years. This is not just an inconvenience to parents – this is a major economic issue that affects every business, nonprofit, every community and many families throughout Pennsylvania. Put simply, when parents can’t find child care, they can’t go to work, and our economy suffers.”
Ryan Unger, president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, who was in Washington, D.C., this past month discussing tax incentives and statewide support of day cares, agrees. “The lack of affordable child care options continues to be a barrier for our region’s workforce with statewide data showing that child care challenges cost businesses over $1 billion annually. In addition, many employees defer career advancement or leave the workforce altogether. We urgently need to fix this situation for working families and their employers.”
Mike Wilson, CEO of Members 1st Federal Credit Union, is joining the business panel and brings fresh perspectives on what companies can do to support and retain working parents.
“Convenient access to child care, coupled with flexibility to meet each family’s unique needs, was overwhelmingly the No. 1 one issue facing our workforce, and we needed to take action. Not only was this a talent acquisition and recruitment strategy, it was also a workforce culture strategy to demonstrate to our associates that we care about them and are willing to make the necessary investments in helping them meet their needs. We remain committed to removing this barrier to meet the needs of our workforce so that we can, in turn, best meet the needs of our members,” says Wilson.
Together, we can develop innovative solutions to support our working families, employees and businesses.
Pamela Hill is CEO and Owner of Signature Staffing, a Central Pennsylvania-based employment service committed to finding and placing high-quality, expertly vetted employees to meet today’s workforce needs. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Lemoyne, Signature Staffing is Women’s Business Enterprise National Council certified and is a Pa. Small Diverse Business.
