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JCPenney solves one of the biggest problems for working parents. Find out how

Fort Worth Star-Telegram - 8/2/2022

Starting Tuesday, JCPenney says it is partnering with a Los Angeles-based child care network to provide quality child care to its 50,000 employees — including those at 13 locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

The benefit comes as companies in numerous sectors continue to struggle to return to pre-pandemic workforce levels, especially when it comes to working parents.

Jessica Chang, the CEO of the Los Angeles company WeeCare, which is the largest child care network in the country, said the partnership is an example of a solution to a festering problem in the workforce.

“Creating truly parent-friendly workplaces is only possible if employees are supported in accessing affordable, high-quality child care,” said Chang, who is also a co-founder of the company. “WeeCare is excited to partner with JCPenney to make that vision a reality for the company’s employees. We also hope that by providing this additional benefit, more mothers whose employment has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising child care prices will be able to return to the workforce without having to forgo child care.”

Case managers will help employees find child care, babysitters

Employees from JCPenney will be given access to 24/7 “care managers” who find out the particular situation parents are in and match them with the appropriate child care in their areas.

Sadie Funk, the director of the Fort Worth-based public-private partnership Best Place for Working Parents, which rates companies based on their parent-friendly policies, said the services, often known as “concierge services,” are beneficial for both parents and companies.

“What the concierge services do is they cut all of that down,” she said. “They meet with parents, get to know their interests, their priorities, you know, what type of facility they’re looking for, if their child has any special needs. They’re going out there doing tours, they’re vetting for quality, they’re vetting for location, and are then able to bring those top-tier options that have actual availability to parents.”

The services are particularly important in areas, like wide swaths of Fort Worth, that have scarce options when it comes to child care, she said.

“I think right now it is especially critical … because there is a shortage in child care as far as availability, but also when we talk about quality, setting, geography and location,” Funk said. “Particularly for working parents, it is a lot of work to find child care.”

WeeCare has an existing network of traditional center- and home-based childcare, as well as nannies and babysitters to provide employees who use their services with “with quality, dependable, and affordable child care options.”

Andre Joyner, the chief human resources officer for JCPenney, said that the benefit allows the company to “celebrate and serve America’s diverse working families.”

“We are always reviewing and refining our offerings to enable our associates and their families to thrive,” Joyner said. “Our partnership with WeeCare will make it easier for our dedicated JCPenney associates to find the care they need for their family, allowing them greater flexibility, savings, and support.”

Other Fort Worth companies, including Dunaway, Higginbotham, Bell, and Whitley Penn provide similar solutions.

The reason so many companies have adopted the solution is compelling.

Solution comes as jobs recover from COVID losses

Reports released in the wake of the long recovery from early COVID-era lockdowns have highlighted the massive economic losses associated with parents leaving the workforce, or missing time in order to deal with child care.

According to one report from the Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 74% of workers surveyed, representing various geographic areas, income levels and racial and ethnic backgrounds, said they missed work at least once in the last three months. The report was released in December.

Those who missed work did so for an estimated average of 15 days over the last year. The parents in these scenarios lost wages for time missed, and the employer experienced a loss in productivity as well as the financial cost of paying overtime to other workers or even hiring and paying temporary workers to make up for the missed work.

Researchers say that makes up an estimated $4.72 billion in lost economic potential in Texas per year. In more extreme cases, parents have to leave their jobs altogether to take care of their children full time.

“As employees leave the workforce, employers face significant costs to replace them,” the report says, adding that replacing an employee can cost as much as one-fifth of an employee’s yearly salary, leading researchers to estimate that the turnover cost to employers in Texas is $2.87 billion annually.

With people working less and leaving employment, they also tend to spend less money, according to the report, leading to a total decrease in Texas sales and excise taxes of $1.8 billion annually due to employee turnover and absenteeism.

Chang previously told the Star-Telegram that businesses providing child care benefits are essential to economic growth and recovery, especially after proposed legislation to bolster the early learning workforce failed.

“Someone has to come into this party and really be able to stabilize the child care industry,” Chang said. “And that has to be employers.”

“They are asking employees to come to work or be able to balance the family at home — well, then the expectation is that employers will start helping out,” she added.

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