Discovering what really works for Vancouver children,
families, and employers
WORKPLACE CHILDCARE
Prepared for:
Robyn Newton, Social Planner 1
Mark Pickersgill, Social Planner 2
The City of Vancouver
Prepared by:
Jacqueline Hunter
UBC Sustainability Scholar, 2018
August 2018
2
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
3
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Executive Summary ............................................................................................... 4
1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Purpose of Study.......................................................................................... 5
2.0 Child Care Context ........................................................................................... 6
2.1 Local Context ............................................................................................... 6
2.2 Provincial Context ........................................................................................ 6
3.0 Definition of Workplace Childcare………………………………………………………………8
4.0 Results of Literature Review ........................................................................... 9
5.0 Methods ........................................................................................................ 11
5.1 Methodology ............................................................................................. 11
5.2 Limitations ................................................................................................. 11
6.0 Research Findings.......................................................................................... 12
6.1 Support for Workplace Childcare .............................................................. 12
6.2 Childcare Issues for Working Parents ........................................................ 13
6.3 Issues with Operating a Workplace Childcare Centre ............................... 14
6.4 The Role of Employers ............................................................................... 16
6.5 What is Fair for Community Families? ....................................................... 19
6.6 The Role of Government Agencies ............................................................ 20
7.0 Best Practices ................................................................................................ 22
8.0 Challenges ..................................................................................................... 24
9.0 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 25
References……………………………………………………………………………………………………..26
Appendix A Literature Review……….………………………………………………………………..27
Appendix B Interview Guides………………………………………………………………………….46
Table of Contents
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Workplace childcare is defined as childcare
services that assist employees of a particular
workplace, organization, or development.
Research indicates that it can increase employee
performance and reduce absenteeism, as well as
assist with the recruitment and retention of
workers. Companies who have sponsored a
workplace childcare program have reported that
they have been able to recoup up to 91% of their
costs through the benefits of employee retention
and performance (Chouinard and Ridgeway,
2016).
Policy Context
While childcare is primarily a senior government
responsibility, the City of Vancouver has
nonetheless taken on a lead role in the planning,
coordination, development, and advocacy for
childcare and early learning programs.
Purpose of this Report
This report explores best practices and provides
some preliminary considerations to the City of
Vancouver as it develops policy for quality,
affordable workplace childcare.
The first section of this study consists of a
literature review of research studies and case
examples of employer-supported childcare
initiatives from around the world. Section 2
summarizes the results of stakeholder
engagement undertaken from May to July 2018.
17 interviews took place with policy makers,
parents, advocates, licensing officers, employers,
academics, and childcare operators. Responses
were then analyzed and organized into key
research findings.
Best Practices
A list of best practices in workplace childcare was
compiled from the literature review and interview
findings:
Workplace childcare should be grounded in a
public system;
Partnerships between multiple different
stakeholders create stability;
Employer priority registration is fair;
Non-profit operators lead to higher quality care;
Employer support ensures affordability and
financial viability;
Proper needs assessments should precede the
development of an employer childcare benefit;
Workplace childcare centres should be
safeguarded through municipal mechanisms to
ensure their continued use as childcare.
Challenges
Several challenges were also identified with this
model of childcare:
Demand for workplace childcare tends to be
highest for infants, which is the most expensive
type of childcare to provide;
Employers often subsidize vacancies to reserve
childcare spaces for their workers;
It can be difficult for operators to balance
community needs with employer priority;
Not all work environments are ideal for
children;
Parents might prefer neighbourhood-based
programs for their children (especially as they
approach Kindergarten).
Findings
While there is an opportunity to partner with
employers to address the current childcare
shortages, employer supported childcare will not
replace the need for a publicly funded, accessible,
and affordable system.
4
Executive Summary
5
1.0 Introduction
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
The availability of affordable, quality childcare services is a growing concern for many
working parents. The workforce participation of mothers in BC has increased steadily
over the last 25 years (Statistics Canada, 1991; 2015), despite a lack of access to
affordable, quality childcare. Combining work and parenthood is challenging for all
families. This is particularly acute in Vancouver, where the cost of housing, combined
with a lack of available childcare spaces has meant that only 36% of childcare needs
are met for children aged 0 to 12 years (City of Vancouver, 2018). Despite the lack of
senior government support, the City of Vancouver has been a leader in the delivery of
accessible, quality, and affordable childcare services. There are many cases where
employers have become involved in the provision of childcare programs for the benefit
of their employees. While workplace childcare is not the only, nor the primary means
of accessing quality childcare, it nevertheless offers an opportunity to help many
parents by making childcare accessible and available to working families (Hein and
Cassirer, 2015).
1.1 Purpose of Study
This report explores best practices in workplace-based childcare and how they might
be supported by the City of Vancouver. This review will provide information on
operating models; facility siting and design; supply and demand; employer
partnerships; as well as other criteria that pertain to workplace childcare. It aims to
provide preliminary considerations to the City of Vancouver as it develops policy for
quality, non-profit workplace childcare.
2.0 Childcare Context
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
While licensing, funding, and subsidizing childcare fall under the jurisdiction of the
provincial government, the City of Vancouver assists with the coordination and
delivery of quality, affordable, and accessible childcare programs. The City of
Vancouver partners with local non-profit childcare operators and facilitates the
development of infrastructure and the leveraging of facilities and land that support
childcare services (City of Vancouver, n.d.). The City of Vancouver has been able to
fund and develop new childcare facilities through in-kind and cash Community
Amenity Contributions (CACs) and Development Cost Levies (DCLs) attained through
the development of property.
The City of Vancouver also awards nominal leases to non-profit operators for its
City-owned facilities and provides small municipal grants to assist with capital and
operating costs. Despite the municipality’s active role in the provision of childcare
spaces, young families in Vancouver are still faced with a highly fragmented childcare
system. Many advocates argue that not enough quality childcare is available and
what is available is prohibitively expensive (Milne, 2016). A 2017 study found that the
median price for full-time toddler care in Vancouver is $1,333 a month (Westcoast
Child Care Resource Centre, 2017).The shortage of affordable and quality childcare
options, coupled with the city’s high cost of living, is forcing many working parents
into precarious situations as they try to balance careers with their families. Parents
might not be able to enter the workforce because they are unable to afford or secure
care for their child. This has a disproportionate impact on women, as they are often
tasked with caregiving roles and forced to sacrifice workforce participation and job
security.
2.1 Local Context
2.2 Provincial Context
Childcare is a primarily provincial responsibility. The provincial government’s
investment in BC’s childcare and early childhood education system has historically been
lower than its provincial counterparts (Ivanova, 2015). In fact, Canada’s investments in
childcare have generally been lower than other comparable countries (Ivanova, 2015).
Decades of underfunding have led to a patchwork approach to childcare that fails to
meet the needs of working families across the province. Researchers Hein and Cassirer
6
7
The lack of
access to
affordable,
quality
childcare is
costing BC
employers
more than
$600 million
annually
(Kershaw and
Anderson, 2011).
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
(2010) found that workplace childcare initiatives tend to occur in environments where
government support is irregular and employers recognize a need to increase female
labour force participation and improve working conditions for families. A recent study
revealed that the lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is costing BC employers
more than $600 million annually due to increases in absenteeism, turnover, and health
care premiums amongst employees with preschool aged children (Kershaw and
Anderson, 2011). Quebec, by contrast, introduced a low-fee public childcare system in
1997, which has increased female labour participation and decreased child poverty
more than anywhere else in the country (Kershaw and Anderson, 2009). British
Columbia’s recently elected NDP provincial government, however, has committed over
$1 billion towards new childcare funding. Both the City of Vancouver and the BC NDP
provincial government also support a regulated and comprehensive public childcare
system for integrated early care and learning services.
8
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Workplace childcare refers to childcare services that assist workers at a particular
workplace, organization, or development with their childcare needs (Beach et al.,
1993). The role and extent to which an employer is involved in the provision of
childcare varies, ranging from: the supply of land, funds, and resources for the capital
construction of a childcare facility; assistance with design and development of a
facility; support for ongoing operations and maintenance costs; direct subsidies to
parents; as well as many other initiatives that support employee childcare needs.
Workplace childcare centres can exist on the premises of an actual workplace, or can
take place in facilities that are off-site, although they are normally nearby (Barbeau,
2001). The models of workplace childcare that typically take place within Vancouver
and surrounding areas include:
Owned and operated by a non-profit agency: childcare centres that are
operated by a non-profit agency for a workplace’s employees. The employer
typically provides capital and start-up funding and may provide ongoing
operating subsidies.
Private, for-profit operators: commercial workplace childcare facilities that are
run as businesses by private firms or organizations in order to generate profits.
The employer may provide capital, start-up funding, and ongoing operating
subsidies.
Employer provided for employees only: workplace childcare centres that are
provided by an employer and are solely for the children of employees. This
usually requires a very large workforce and a significant amount of operating
support from the employer.
Employee priority: workplace childcare centres that are connected to a
development or place of employment where employees have priority
consideration, but spaces are also available to the general community when
on-site demand is low.
Employer partnerships with independent, for-profit operators: corporate and
private childcare facilities that partner with employers to provide a range of
services that assist employees with their childcare needs. This might include
emergency back-up care, employer-paid childcare spaces, as well as resources
and referrals. An employer may subsidize the costs of these services as a
benefit to employees.
8
3.0 Definition of Workplace Childcare
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Workplace childcare provides options for parents to more easily participate in the workforce. This section
summarizes the current literature on workplace childcare, as well as its impact when integrated with other
family friendly policies. The Literature Review conducted for this study is included as Appendix A, which
documents detailed examples and case studies of local and international workplace childcare approaches
and provides some context into what has been successful.
Size of the Employer
Workplace childcare tends to be affiliated with larger scale employers or with companies that have a large
concentration of on-site workers (Hein and Cassirer, 2010). Barbeau (2001) evaluated 51 work-based
childcare centres across Canada and discovered that over 80% of the centres were affiliated with a large
employer with over 500 employees, while the remaining were supported by medium-sized employers (i.e.
100-499 employees). Only one of the centres that took part in Barbeau’s study was sponsored by an
employer with fewer than 100 employees. In some cases, workplace childcare centres are sponsored by
more than one employer. This allows employers to share costs and achieve economies of scale, given that a
lot of worker demand is needed to justify a company childcare centre. While the benefits of employers
joining together to support a childcare initiative seem evident, research into these types of partnerships is
still rare. Scholars Hein and Cassirer (2010) outline a few cases studies in France, where inter-employer
supported childcare centres are encouraged through government incentive programs. However, the
impacts and sustainability of these types of joint-employer childcare programs have not yet been
comprehensively assessed. Future research is necessary to examine the number of employees that are
needed to make a workplace childcare centre feasible.
Models of Workplace Childcare
There are multiple models and approaches to workplace childcare initiatives. Hein and Cassirer (2010)
documented work related childcare provisions in Brazil, Chile, France, Hungary, India, Kenya, South Africa,
Thailand, USA, the UK, and France. They list several forms of employer support, ranging from providing
on-site childcare for children of their employees, to reserving or covering the cost of spaces at local
community childcare centres, to providing emergency back-up care, to negotiating discounts for their
workers with local providers. Some employers also contribute to a childcare fund, often as a result of
collective bargaining through employees unions (Hein and Cassirer, 2010). Through this model, employees
can opt into a childcare program and might contribute a portion of their salary to do so. Other employers
offer childcare support as part of a larger employee benefits package, where workers can pick and choose
benefits based on their specific needs (Hein and Cassirer, 2010). While there are some examples where
almost all childcare costs are assumed by an employer, Hein and Cassirer (2010) found that the majority of
childcare fees tend to be paid by parents. Employer support nonetheless often allows workers to pay a
lower fee compared to what they would pay at a community offered childcare facility.
9
4.0 Results of Literature Review
10
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Benefits of Workplace Childcare
Research has shown that employer supported childcare reduces absenteeism and improves the recruitment
and retention of employees (Milkovich and Gomez, 1976; Youngblood and Chambers-Cook, 1986). Gullekson
et al. (2014) examined employer-sponsored childcare programs and concluded that performance was higher
and absenteeism was lower for employee users of an on-site childcare program, compared to off-site
childcare users and employees without children. Moreover, a 2013 study found that workplace sponsored
childcare, when accompanied by proper breastfeeding policies, facilitates the faster return of women to work
after maternity leave (Nowak et al.). Chouinard and Ridgeway (2016) reported on the development of
Patagonia’s free on-site childcare programs at its headquarters in Ventura, California and Reno, Nevada.
Patagonia estimates that it is able to recoup 91% of its childcare costs: 50% through tax breaks; 30% through
employee retention; and 11% through employee engagement. Women also make up about 50% of the
company’s workforce, including roughly half of upper management. 100% of Patagonia’s female employees
return to work after childbirth, compared to the 75% rate that exists across the United States. Other studies
have confirmed that workplace childcare programs are associated with improved job satisfaction and
productivity, along with less intention to quit (Casper and Harris, 2008; Wang and Walumbwa, 2007). Parents
who have used an on-site child care service have reported that they appreciate commuting with their
children, as well as the relief of knowing their children are close by (US Department of Labour, 1998).
Issues and Challenges with Workplace Childcare
While the benefits of workplace childcare programs seem evident, there are also challenges and
disadvantages. Some research suggests that the provision of an on-site childcare centre can lead to
resentment amongst childless employees or employees who are not able to benefit from the program (Goff
et al., 1990; Kossek and Nichol, 1992). Kossek and Nichol (1992), for instance, observed a “frustration effect”
among workers who were on a waiting list for their company’s on-site childcare centre. A study of hospital
employees in the UK, moreover, found that only a small proportion of workers used employer sponsored
on-site childcare, as their working hours did not match up with the hours that were offered by the childcare
centre (Robinson et al., 2003). Beach et al. (1993) raised ethical concerns about the fairness of work-related
childcare centres, as many of these programs are paid for through public funding, yet are restricted to
targeted populations. 75% of the workplace childcare centres that took part in their study are sponsored by a
public sector employer. These programs are therefore supported by more public tax dollars than community
offered childcare programs, yet they enforce eligibility requirements that restrict enrollment. Other potential
drawbacks of workplace childcare include the legal liability it presents for an employer, as well as it reducing
employee mobility by tying childcare dependent workers to their jobs (Barbeau, 2001). Additionally, not all
workplaces are suitable for children, especially if they are noisy or located in high polluting environments.
Any quality issues with a childcare centre can reflect poorly on an employer and its corporate image
(Barbeau, 2001).
This review offers an understanding of the foundational literature that pertains to workplace childcare, as
well as the gaps that exist. Many of the studies that have been covered are context-driven and their
applications will inevitably differ from what can be practiced in Vancouver. While many benefits and
challenges have been documented, research into employer childcare assistance is still somewhat patchy.
More empirical analysis is necessary to fully understand the effectiveness of these types of support.
11
5.0 Methods
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Following a literature review of local and international workplace childcare
practices, 17 interviews were conducted with 21 stakeholders that included
policy makers, advocates, childcare operators, employers, parents, and
researchers. The literature provides general support for the arguments that
workplace childcare benefits employers and employees. Accordingly, the
expected outcome of this research was that work-based childcare programs
can help improve access to quality, affordable childcare for working families.
Interviews were chosen as the main form of data collection because they
facilitate a deeper understanding of some of the implications, issues, and
advantages of workplace childcare that are difficult to grasp through
quantitative methods alone. Most stakeholders were interviewed individually,
but some participated in focus groups as well. Figure 1 conveys the
distribution of stakeholders, but it is important to note that many of these
individuals have overlapping roles. Among these stakeholders were
representatives of 7 local workplace childcare centres. An interview guide
(see Appendix B) was developed with semi-structured and open-ended
questions to facilitate the collection of rich and nuanced data on the
approaches to workplace childcare. The interviews were conducted both in
person and over the telephone and took place from May 29 to July 10, 2018.
All of the interviews were recorded using a voice-recorder device. Responses
were transcribed and then coded into thematic and sub-thematic groupings.
5.1 Methodology
5.2 Limitations
The scope and methods used in this study present some limitations. As this research was conducted over a
short period of time, only a small sample of stakeholders were able to take part. Future research should
include additional interviews with employers and parents, as they had less uptake in comparison to the other
stakeholders in this study. It would also be worth interviewing operators and employers affiliated with
workplace childcare centres that have closed down, as this could help ascertain some of the challenges and
lessons learned. In addition, this research could benefit from observations of employer supported childcare
centres, which could provide a contextual understanding and greater depth into the experience of
work-based childcare. While some stakeholder interviews were conducted, but not fully completed, the data
was nevertheless analyzed and included as part of this research. The information that is presented in this
study should thus not be considered representative of all the aspects that relate to workplace childcare.
Figure 1: Interview Log
1 Policy Maker
8 Childcare Operators
1 Parent
4 Licensing Officers
2 Academics/
Researchers
2 Employers
3 Advocates
21 TOTAL
6.0 Research Findings
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Interview participants were first
asked if they support workplace
childcare and were invited to share
their thoughts and opinions on the
model. Figure 2 reveals that the
majority (76%) voiced their support
for employer supported childcare.
Many participants reported
increased sense of community,
decreased absenteeism, as well as
the comfort of knowing your child is
close by as some of the benefits of
workplace childcare. One operator
of an on-site centre that is affiliated
with a major educational institution
indicated that the service is used as
a recruitment and retention tool,
particularly for faculty. Other
interviewees saw this type of
employer support as necessary for
the retention of young workers in a
tight labour market.
6.1 Support for Workplace Childcare
12
“I see
childcare as a
matter of
significant
importance to
employers
who wish to
retain staff,
particularly at
this time in
Vancouver,
where we
have a lot of
talent leaving
the City,
particularly
when they
have kids.”
- Interview Respondent
However, 18% of participants indicated that their support depends, while 6%
responded that they do not support this model of childcare. Some individuals
expressed their concern over the equity issues that this model presents, such as it
being exclusive to large-scale employers that tend to only reach workers in the middle
and upper income levels. Most participants seemed to emphasize that workplace
childcare should not be the sole answer to Vancouver’s childcare problems, but could
be part of a larger spectrum of options available to young families. Many individuals
commented on the importance of grounding this type of childcare in a public system:
“I think we should be thinking about a publicly funded and a publicly organized
system and within that system it maybe that there’s a place for some workplace
childcare.”
This is a sentiment that the literature has also identified. Dulk et al. found that when
13
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
childcare and work-family arrangements are dictated by the market, employers often do not adequately
make up for the lack of public benefits (2012). Beach et al. similarly warn against relying on the individual
efforts of workplaces to make up for the lack adequate childcare services and contend that the answer should
rest instead in public policy (1993). As childcare in Canada is supported by public dollars, there is an issue of
fairness when government subsidies are involved. Many participants felt that workplace childcare should be
accompanied by community access so that the public is able to benefit from the expansion in civic
investment and childcare services as well. While participant support for employer subsidized childcare was
favourable overall, several concerns and conditions were brought up that emphasize that this type of support
should be supplementary to publicly provided childcare.
6.2 Childcare Issues for Working Parents
Childcare issues can create an insurmountable barrier for parents’ entrance into the workforce. Participants
were asked to expand on some of these issues to offer insight into the current obstacles that are faced by
working families in Vancouver. As displayed in Figure 3, the problem most commonly mentioned by
participants was affordability, followed closely by lack of space. If employers are willing to locate a childcare
facility within or alongside their workplace, this could increase the amount of space that is dedicated towards
childcare uses across the City. Respondents also spoke to the lack of suitable hours being an issue, with
several reporting that the majority of childcare centres are only open during standard administrative hours,
which do not meet the needs of all workers. Commuting was also mentioned quite frequently by participants,
with several speaking to the frustrations, such as long travel distances or infrequent public transit, that
can interfere with picking up or dropping off a child. Advocates of workplace childcare argue that an on-site
facility can greatly reduce the amount of time that is required by parents to travel between work and a
childcare centre (Barbeau, 2001).
Participants also expressed that incoherent government policy, along with the resulting lack of qualified early
childhood educators and licensed facilities, has impacted the ability of parents to balance work, family, and
childhood education needs. Another noteworthy issue mentioned was that many parents do not have the
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
family support that they had a generation ago. Several participants reported that
extended families and grandparents are moving away from Vancouver or are not able
to retire as early as they used to, which impacts their ability to assist with young
families’ childcare needs.
Scholars have claimed that Canada has the poorest access to childcare in the
industrialized world, and among the highest fees (Dallaire and Anderson, 2009).
Insufficient and expensive childcare creates serious harms for working families,
especially for women who tend to bear the brunt of caregiving roles. A recent study
found that childcare costs are the second largest expenditure, following housing, for
families living with young children in Metro Vancouver (Ivanova, 2016). Interview
participants echoed these concerns and conveyed a need for solutions so parents can
participate in the labour force, while also getting the childcare support that they need.
14
6.3 Issues With Operating a Workplace Childcare Centre
Although very diverse opinions arose over the operational challenges of workplace
childcare centres, clear patterns emerged as displayed in Figure 4 below.
“People don’t
realize how
many
thousands of
potential
parents you
need to make
it viable.”
- Interview Respondent
The ongoing registration of sufficient numbers of children of employees to keep a
workplace childcare centre viable was the challenge mentioned most frequently by
interview participants. Organizations that provide childcare services to workers tend
to be larger scale employers (Hein and Cassirer, 2010). The median size of the
employers affiliated with the seven workplace childcare centres that participated in
15
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
this study is 1750 employees. The City of Vancouver presently uses a model of 1 space per 100 employees to
calculate the need for workplace childcare. However, all interview participants felt that this model is no
longer appropriate for today’s childcare landscape. As one respondent puts it:
“This formula is based on a demand model where childcare is really expensive. It will have to be
re-examined if costs go down with the new provincial government.”
All of the workplace childcare centres that we spoke to offer priority registration to employees, but are also
open to the community. This helps ensure financial viability by keeping spaces filled if staff utilization wanes.
The proportion of spaces that are filled by children of employees at the centres that were interviewed is, on
average, 69%, however, some operators indicated that enrollment by employee families can dip to as low as
10-15% of total enrollment. Interviewees often discussed the struggle of reserving employee spots when
community demand is high, and how an employer might be reluctant to subsidize a childcare centre if it is not
primarily serving its employees.
An interesting sub-theme emerged; with several participants highlighting that workplace childcare does not
always adequately accommodate the needs of employee families. Many participants commented that while
workplace childcare is desirable for parents of infant children who are returning to work post-parental leave,
they often want to switch to community-based childcare when their children approach the transition into
kindergarten:
“My sister, for instance, had access to a workplace childcare facility. She used it when her child was an
infant, but chose to enroll in a community when her child was a toddler so she could get to know kids in the
neighbourhood. Children often want to form alliances with neighbourhood children so the transition into
school can be easier."
Other participants warned of the consequences of making workplace childcare decisions based on overstated
need. For instance, one operator described the development of an extended overnight childcare centre that
arose out of interest from shift workers at a local hospital. Employee uptake was low in the end, as many
families only participated until they were able to make other arrangements. The operator explains that:
“There was not a real appetite for the late evening into early morning care as families wanted their child to
sleep at home.”
This demonstrates that workplace childcare initiatives can fail if they do not accurately assess the needs and
constraints of employees. Proper assessment and thorough consultations lay the groundwork for more
successful employer-sponsored childcare partnerships (Hein and Cassirer, 2010).
Another issue frequently mentioned by participants is that it is difficult to find space to facilitate workplace
childcare, given Vancouver’s land constraints and the fact that not all worksites are appropriate for childcare
15
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
6.4.1 What role should employers play in the development of workplace childcare?
6.4 The Role of Employers
16
There are many ways that employers can get
involved in the provision of childcare.
Interviewees were asked what role, if at all,
employers should take in the development of
workplace childcare. All participants agreed
that employers should contribute to the capital
costs of childcare spaces, which many do by
virtue of their tax dollars or through local land
use planning processes. The majority (78%)
of respondents also felt that employers
should provide childcare subsidies to parents.
Moreover, 67% of respondents believed that
employers should be subsidizing the
operational costs of running a workplace
childcare program. Parent fees generally
cover the majority of a childcare centre’s
operating costs so parents would undoubtedly
be appreciative of any kind of employer help, be it in the form of subsidies, discounts, and other supports. As
quality childcare is expensive, ongoing financial support from an employer can help ensure the long-term
viability of a childcare centre. Six out of the seven workplace childcare centres that participated in this study
have their operational costs subsidized to some extent by an employer or sponsor, such as the property
owner of a centre. This ranges from janitorial and maintenance costs, to providing funds to absorb operating
deficits.
and its outdoor space requirements. Other individuals indicated that employers can face resentment from
workers who are not able to benefit from a childcare program. Several operational challenges were also
addressed, such as the struggle of retaining and appropriately paying qualified staff while also keeping costs
down for families. Partnering with other employers and sponsors can help reduce the costs and risks
associated with setting up a workplace childcare facility. For example, one of the workplace childcare centres’
that took part in this study is part of a business centre that houses multiple employers. The capital costs of
the childcare facility were paid for by the property developer of the business centre and its services are
offered to all of the centre’s companies. The employers, by virtue of their tenancy agreements with the
business centre, contribute to the childcare centre’s maintenance and operating costs. This helps to relieve
some of the cost difficulties presented by workplace childcare centres as multiple partners are involved in its
operation.
17
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
More than half (56%) of participants supported employers providing space in their building for a childcare
facility, however several noted that this is not feasible for all types of workplaces. All of the workplace
childcare centres interviewed for this study are given free or highly subsidized rent and the majority are
located on-site of a workplace, with one being located across the street from a sponsoring employer. Other
employer roles mentioned by stakeholders included advocating to senior governments for a better childcare
system and employers doing more to encourage government policies that support childcare initiatives.
6.4.2 Who should own and operate workplace childcare facilities?
Several of Vancouver’s workplace childcare facilities were built by an employer or a property developer, often
through the municipality’s redevelopment and rezoning processes. In these cases, the childcare facility is
often delivered and funded by Community Amenity Contributions and Development Cost Levies. These
mechanisms also allow the City to acquire ownership of these facilities and use them to enhance and stabilize
the supply of affordable childcare options. When asked who should be responsible for hiring an operator of a
workplace childcare facility, the majority (70%) of interview participants felt that the City of Vancouver should
be responsible, instead of the employer. Many expressed concerns that employers do not have the expertise
to operate childcare, or they want to keep costs down, which can impact quality. One participant explained:
“Employers might know that their staff needs childcare. But childcare isn’t their business. It’s not their
mandate and it’s not their expertise. So if they start to go down that road, I think they would want some
expert advice.”
11 out of the 13 workplace childcare centres that are located in Vancouver are operated by non-profit
organizations, as demonstrated by Figure 6. Additionally, 38% of these centres are held within municipal
ownership.
Figure 6: Operational Models of the City of Vancouver’s Workplace Childcare Centres
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
18
The City of Vancouver has a policy of selecting and awarding nominal rent and
long-term leases to non-profit childcare operators for their City-owned properties.
Research has demonstrated that non-profit auspice supports municipal objectives for
affordable high-quality childcare (G. Cleveland, 2008; G.H. Cleveland & Hyatt, 2002).
Through these mechanisms, the City of Vancouver is able to reduce cost barriers and
ensure that childcare is operated by quality providers that contribute to the collective
social good.
When asked who should retain ownership of these workplace childcare facilities,
responses amongst interview participants were somewhat divided. 56% of respondents
believed that ownership should be turned over to the City of Vancouver or public
ownership, while 44% indicated that ownership should be retained by the employer
and/or property owner of the facility. Many interview respondents believed that it is
unlikely that an employer will be willing to hand over ownership of a facility that they
built. Yet cash or in-kind contributions to City-owned childcare facilities help reduce
start-up costs and increase supply, while also ensuring that childcare centres are kept
as public assets. Several individuals spoke of the challenges that privately-owned
childcare centres present:
“What we have to be aware is if an employer owns the space for childcare and a
different priority comes up for them – maybe they have fewer families in their
workforce or maybe their work is expanding and they need these previously used
childcare space for other purposes – well then we’ve lost a community childcare
space. And that’s why anchoring it in a public system is so important.”
Research has shown that private responses to childcare do not always work and they
have led to fee increases and a rise of unlicensed and unfit childcare centres
(Anderson, 2013). It can also be difficult to ensure the continued use of
privately-owned childcare spaces, as well guarantee that they can be publicly accessed.
Some of the workplace childcare centres that participated in this study have a provision
in their licensing agreements that indicates that the City of Vancouver will take over
the maintenance and operations of a centre if the employer and/or facility owner
changes. Policy and decision makers should consider these types of regulations and
agreements as a means to guarantee the future use and access of a workplace centre
as a childcare facility, despite any changes in ownership or employer priorities.
- Interview Respondent
“If an employer
develops an
initiative to
support
employees,
it’s not
unreasonable
to expect their
employees to
be served.”
19
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Since fairness emerged as a common theme in the literature that preceded these
interviews, stakeholders were asked to share their thoughts on workplace childcare and
what they believe is fair to the public.
6.5 What is Fair for Community Families?
6.5.1 Is priority registration fair?
The majority (88%) of participants felt it is
fair for workplace childcare centres to
prioritize the children of the sponsoring
employer, as shown in Figure 7. They
believed that if an employer is subsidizing a
childcare program, it is understandable that
they would expect some kind of benefit in
return. All of the workplace childcare
centres that participated in this study offer
priority registration for children of
employees, along with already registered
children that are transitioning to another
program within the centre, and siblings of
registered children.
Several individuals indicated that with the lack of available childcare spaces in
Vancouver, reserving spots for anyone is controversial. The workplace childcare centres
that we spoke with reported that parents, on average, have to wait more than 2 years to
access a spot and perhaps more for an infant or toddler spot. The number of children on
the waitlists at these centres ranged from 100 to 2885.
6.5.2 Is charging a higher fee for
community families fair?
Figure 8 reveals that 60% of participants
also believed that is fair for workplace
childcare centres to charge families who
do not work for the sponsoring employer a
higher fee, while several others wondered
how fair this will be as childcare transitions
into a more publicly funded system. Three
out of the seven workplace childcares that
were interviewed charge community
families a more expensive fee, mostly as a
result of some kind of employer
subsidization. Community families at these
centres pay anywhere from 12% to 53%
more than employee families. One
employer that we spoke with, who has an
interest in setting up an on-site centre for
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
20
its workers, believes that childcare could be offered as part of an employee benefits
plan:
“I would normally expect a benefits plan, where possibly the employer would offer a
fixed rate that I presume is somewhat governed as part of a public system. And then
the employer may choose to offer a subsidy to offset that.”
Research has documented several workplace childcare centres that are offered as part
of extended employee benefits packages (Hein and Cassirer, 2018). For instance, there
are employers who offer childcare benefits through salary sacrifice schemes. Workers
have also been known to negotiate employer contributions to childcare through
collective bargaining agreements.
Although the interviews suggest that priority registration and reduced fees for
employees is fair if an employer is providing childcare, workplace initiatives are
unlikely to account for the collective needs of all families. Workplace childcare
programs are usually associated with larger employers that tend to serve workers with
middle or upper income levels (Hein and Cassirer, 2010; Beach et al, 1993). Even if
low-earning workers have access to employer sponsored childcare, the costs are often
high in comparison to their incomes. Lower-income and vulnerable families are less
likely to benefit these types of employer supports, despite the tremendous impact
that childcare could have in enabling their access to paid work and financial security.
6.6 The Role of Government Agencies
With the current childcare shortages and overwhelming demand, government
agencies are increasingly looking to creative solutions to address society’s childcare
needs. Participants were asked to share their thoughts on the role that government
agencies could play in the development of workplace childcare.
21
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Many respondents believed that government agencies should be involved with setting
regulations and guidelines, as well as devoting funds to reduce start-up and operating
costs. One employer felt that municipalities should go so far as to creating guidelines
that would foster more family friendly work environments:
“I don’t have an appropriate and private space in my office for someone to breastfeed
or pump. So I think it terms of the ways the City interacts with developers and
commercial building managers, it would be great to see more of that encouraged. It’s
something that your architect doesn’t necessarily mention to you if you are doing a
redesign of a space. I also don’t know if there are any guidelines about what are the
things you need to think about if you are going to have kids in your office.”
Others expressed mixed feelings as to whether government agencies should be
involved at all, as they believe that public funding should be dedicated to public
childcare spaces. As one participant explains:
“It’s very important that public funding be publicly available to people. So we would
have to work through what are the implications for workplace childcare in terms of
those employees and their rights to public funding and how they should not be any
different from anyone else’s rights to public funding.”
Assisting with the recruitment and retention of Early Childhood Educators was also
mentioned quite frequently; with many individuals citing how underpaid and
undervalued these positions are and how this has led to staff shortages across the
province. Additionally, encouraging better quality programming and creating more
spaces was brought up by stakeholders, which is unsurprising given Vancouver’s present
childcare challenges.
Overall, participants maintained that the development of workplace childcare should fit
within broader public strategies. Research has documented some of the downfalls that
arise when government agencies rely too much on employers for the provision of
childcare (Hein and Cassirer, 2010). Employers often do not have the expertise to
operate childcare, or their priorities for profitability can undermine quality. Workplace
childcare seems to be most effective when it is created in partnership with government
agencies and overseen by comprehensive regulating bodies.
“No employer
sees
themselves as
responsible for
what should
be a publicly
funded
system.”
- Interview Respondent
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
A list of best practices that have been sourced from local and international research into workplace
childcare is provided below. Although every workplace initiative has its own limitations and constraints,
these recommendations provide guidance for the creation of policy that will support quality, non-profit
workplace childcare in the City of Vancouver.
Ground Workplace Childcare in a Public System
The City of Vancouver’s emphasis on publicly available and non-profit childcare should remain its
priority objective. However, there are opportunities to increase the number of childcare spaces
available by partnering with employers. Ideally, senior governments should be providing facilities at no
cost for childcare uses. Yet in the face of limited resources and land constraints, leveraging employer
resources could help fill the current gaps and expand the number of childcare spaces for working
parents in Vancouver. Workplace childcare programs should nevertheless remain linked to the City of
Vancouver’s broader childcare strategies and comply with the City’s standards for quality care.
Encourage Partnerships
There is a real benefit when multiple organizations work together and pool resources to bring together
diverse perspectives, capabilities, and expertise in the delivery of childcare. Several cases in this report
highlight the advantages that arise out of partnerships between employers, non-profit operators, and
government agencies. Where an employer may be too small to support a workplace based childcare
facility on their own, it often becomes viable when they partner with nearby employers. The results lead
to integrated childcare programs of high quality, where costs and benefits are shared amongst multiple
actors.
Employer Priority Registration
The majority (88%) of interview participants felt it is fair for an employer to prioritize the registration of
children of their employees if they are contributing to the costs of the childcare centre. Workplace
childcare should nonetheless always be accompanied by equitable access, so that community members
can also benefit from the expansion of services. Guaranteeing community access can also help ensure
the financial viability of a workplace childcare centre in the case that employee utilization wanes.
Non-Profit Operators
While employer ownership of a childcare facility can work and is a reasonable expectation when an
employer has built the facility, utilizing an experienced non-profit child care operator can ensure that
the program is of high quality. The City of Vancouver can lend its expertise in the selection of a qualified
operator, either through leading a request for a proposals process or by developing a list of qualified
non-profit providers from which employer can choose from.
22
7.0 Best Practices
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Employer Support Ensures Affordability and Financial Viability
As quality childcare is expensive, support from an employer or sponsoring organization can help close
the gap between childcare fees and what most families are able to pay. The most common and viable
forms of support for workplace childcare centres include:
Government subsidies for capital construction and operational costs
Small provincial and municipal subsidies can assist with the capital and operational costs of a
childcare centre.
Employer provided space at low or zero cost
Most employers or organizations that sponsor a childcare centre provide them with facilities for
free or at a very reduced price. As the costs of operating a childcare are expensive, offsetting the
costs of facilities can help to ensure the long-term stability of a centre and keep parent fees
down.
Employer support for operational costs
Many employers, especially if they own the childcare facility, also assist with operational costs,
such as utilities, janitorial, maintenance, or administrative fees.
Subsidies to Employees
Since the majority of childcare costs tend to be covered by parent fees, any kind of direct
employer subsidy to workers is helpful.
Proper Needs Assessments
Employers should conduct a thorough needs assessment with their employees prior to the development
of a workplace childcare centre. Proper assessment and consultation should take into consideration the
needs and preferences of employees, including: the ages and number of their children; their commuting
patterns; their current childcare arrangements and alternatives; their preferences in terms of hours,
location, and fees; their cultural preferences; and so forth. Special efforts may be needed to engage
employees for whom English is a second language, as their needs may be quite different from the rest of
the workforce. Moreover, ongoing monitoring can help ensure that the childcare service is used by
employees and can help anticipate future use. The City of Vancouver presently uses a ratio of 1 space
per 100 employees as part of its employment related childcare needs assessments. Stakeholders felt
that this formula should be rethought, especially given the new provincial climate of childcare support.
This ratio was developed in an era when childcare was understood to be expensive and in short supply.
As the provincial government moves towards a comprehensive, coordinated public system for early
childhood care and learning, this formula should be adjusted to reflect the increasing affordability and
availability of childcare.
Safeguard the Continued Use of a Workplace Childcare Facility
In light of shifting priorities and competing land uses, it can be difficult to guarantee the continued use
of an employer built childcare centre. Covenants that turn over ownership of a workplace childcare
centre to a government agency if an employer ceases doing business can help retain the asset for the
long term benefit of the of the community.
23
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Childcare in the workplace poses a number of challenges for employers, operators, and families. The
following lists some of the difficulties and challenges that are related to providing workplace childcare.
Demand for Infant Care
Demand for workplace childcare is often highest in the infant-toddler category, as it facilitates the
return of employees to work after parental leave, especially for nursing mothers. This is also the most
expensive type of childcare to operate. While there tends to be less demand for 3-5 care, these spaces
are more cost-effective and often are often required to subsidize the cost of caring for younger children.
Vacancies and Financial Viability
Childcare operators need full enrollment in order to be financially viable. Although it is expensive to
reserve spaces for employees, employers often have to subsidize vacancies if they want to prioritize
childcare spaces for their workers. However, it is not desirable from a societal perspective to have
vacant childcare spaces when there is unmet demand from the community.
Balancing Community Needs with Employer Priority
While it is recommended that workplace childcare facilities offer community spaces along with
preferred access for workers, with today’s shortages and excessively long waiting lists, it is rare that a
community member is able to access an employer-created childcare space. In fact, many employees still
face long waits at these types of centres.
Not all Work Environments are Ideal for Children
Many workplaces are not equipped to meet the criteria for childcare. Whether if it is an issue of physical
layout or access to outdoor space, there are barriers that limit the ability of all employers to provide this
type of benefit.
Preference for Neighbourhood Childcare Centres
Children who are registered at work-based centre might have limited contact with children their own
neighbourhood. Parents might prefer to register their children in neighbourhood-based childcare
centres, especially as they reach the transition into full-time school. Traveling long distances to and from
a workplace is also not always ideal with young children.
24
8.0 Challenges
25
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
9.0 Conclusion
This study reveals that workplace childcare programs can complement, but should not
replace other efforts to improve the availability of quality and affordable childcare for
working families. Lack of affordable and accessible childcare not only impacts the
economic security of parents, but hampers the healthy development of children. As it
is mainly women who bear the responsibility of caring for children, childcare services
are also crucial in enabling female labour force participation and promoting gender
equality.
While it is an emerging model of childcare, research into workplace childcare is still
relatively rare. Future research is necessary to understand the needs of diverse
workforces and how workplace childcare might fill these needs. Insight is needed to
address how employers can conduct inclusive needs assessments that should precede
the development of a childcare facility.
Although the future of childcare should not rely solely on workplace partnerships,
planners and policy makers should recognize that there is an opportunity to increase
the amount of space that is devoted to childcare by partnering with employers who
have an interest in supporting employees with their childcare obligations.
26
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
References
Anderssen, E. (2013, October 3). The case for publicly funded child care in Canada. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved August 6, 2018, from https://
www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/the-case-for-publicly-funded-child-care/article14954409/
Barbeau, C. (2001). Work-related child-care centres in Canada - 2001. Hull, PQ: Human Resources Development Canada, Labour Program.
Beach, J., Friendly, M., & Schmidt, L. (1993). Work-Related Child Care in Context: A Study of Work-Related Child Care in Canada. Occasional Paper
No. 3.
Casper, W. J., & Harris, C. M. (2008). Work-life benefits and organizational attachment: Self-interest utility and signaling theory models. Journal of
Vocational Behavior, 72(1), 95-109. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2007.10.015
Chouinard, M., & Ridgeway, J. A. (2016). Family business: Innovative on-site child care since 1983. Ventura, CA: Patagonia.
City of Vancouver. (2016, April 12). Children and childcare in Vancouver. Retrieved from https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/children-and-
childcare.aspx
Cleveland, G. (2008). If it don’t make dollars, does that mean that it don’t make sense? Commercial, non-profit and municipal child care in the City
of Toronto. (Rep.). Toronto, ON: Children’s Services Division, City of Toronto. doi:http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/
childrens_services/files/pdf/cleveland_report_may08.pdf
Cleveland, G. H., & Hyatt, D. E. (2002). Child care workers wages: New evidence on returns to education, experience, job tenure and auspice.
Journal of Population Economics, 15(3), 575-597. doi:10.1007/s001480100106
Dulk, L. D., Peters, P., & Poutsma, E. (2012). Variations in adoption of workplace work–family arrangements in Europe: The influence of
welfare-state regime and organizational characteristics. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(13), 2785-
2808. doi:10.1080/09585192.2012.676925
Gullekson, N. L., Griffeth, R., Vancouver, J. B., Kovner, C. T., & Cohen, D. (2014). Vouching for childcare assistance with two quasi-experimental
studies. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 29(8), 994-1008. doi:10.1108/jmp-06-2012-0182
Hein, C., & Cassirer, N. (2010). Workplace solutions for childcare. Geneva: International Labour Office.
Ivanova, I. (2015). Solving BC’s Affordability Crisis in Child Care: Financing the $10 a Day Plan (Rep.). Vancouver, BC: Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives.
Kershaw, P., & Anderson, L. (2011). Does Canada Work for All Generations? (Rep.). Vancouver, BC: UBC Human Early Learning Partnership.
doi:http://earlylearning.ubc.ca/media/publications/Family Policy Reports and Resources/
does_canada_work_for_all_generations_bc.pdf
Macdonald, D., & Friendly, M. (2016). A Growing Concern: 2016 Child Care Fees in Canada’s Big Cities (Rep.). Ottawa, ON: Canadian Centre for
Policy Alternatives. doi:https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National Office/2016/12/
A_Growing_Concern.pdf
Meeting the needs of todays workforce: Child care best practices. (1998). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Labor.
Milkovich, G., & Gomez, L. (n.d.). Child care and selected work behaviors. Academy of Management Journal, 19(1), 111-115.
Milne, K. (2016). HIGH STAKES: The impacts of child care on the human rights of women and children (Rep.). Vancouver, BC: West Coast LEAF.
doi:http://www.westcoastleaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/High-Stakes-low-res-for-web.pdf
Nowak, M. J., Naude, M., & Thomas, G. (2013). Returning to Work After Maternity Leave: Childcare and Workplace Flexibility. Journal of Industrial
Relations, 55(1), 118-135. doi:10.1177/0022185612465530
Robinson, S., Davey, B., & Murrells, T. (2003). Family‐friendly policies: General nurses’ preferences and experiences. Journal of Health
Organization and Management, 17(6), 422-437. doi:10.1108/14777260310506588
Secret, M. (2006). Integrating Paid Work And Family Work. Community, Work & Family, 9(4), 407-427. doi:10.1080/13668800600925027
Wang, P., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2007). Family-Friendly Programs, Organizational Commitment, And Work Withdrawal: The Moderating Role Of
Transformational Leadership. Personnel Psychology, 60(2), 397-427. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6570.2007.00078.x
Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre. (2017). FEE SURVEY: Vancouver Licensed Group Child Care Monthly Full-time Rates as of September 1, 2017
(Rep.). Vancouver, BC. doi:http://www.wstcoast.org/pdf/feesurvey/2017_GDCFee SurveyResult.pdf
Youngblood, S., & Chambers-Cook, K. (n.d.). Child care assistance can improve employee attitudes and behavior. Personnel Administrator, 29(2),
45-49.
27
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Barbeau, C. (2001). Work-related child-care centres in Canada, 2001. Human Resources
Development Canada, Labour Program. Place du Portage, Quebec.
This study provides a review of work-related child care practices across Canada. It examines 51 work-based
child care centres and offers insight into best practices, as well as lessons that can be learned. A number of
key case studies that were part of this research include:
The Department of Future Childcare Centre, the Body Shop Canada, Toronto, Canada
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? Not indicated.
What kind of business does the employer operate? The Body Shop is an international company that sells
naturally based skin and hair products.
Do their employees work standard hours? They work standard administrative hours.
Who owns the childcare facility:
Employer: The childcare facility is owned by The Body Shop.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? The facility is located on-site of the Body Shop’s
Canadian corporate headquarters in Don Mills, Ontario.
If the facility is not located on-site, is transportation provided? N/A
Who operates:
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The space is rented out to a non-profit childcare organization.
Is the operator a non-profit society or a private operator? Is this their only facility or are they
part of a chain or franchise? The childcare centre is run by a non-profit organization that is
managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, which consists of company executives and working
parents.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction?
Employer: The Body Shop contributed to the start-up costs of the child care centre.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: The employer provides the centre with some administrative services, which
includes bookkeeping.
Parent fees: The centre’s principal source of revenue is fees charged to parents. In 2001,
Community parents were charged $900 per month for infants, $825 for toddlers, and $700
for preschool children. Employees of The Body Shop were entitled to reduced rates of
$700 for infants, $650 for toddlers, and $600 for preschool children.
Government subsidies: Periodically, the centre obtains funding from the Ministry of
Community and Social Services for specific projects, which has included the restructuring
of a playground and the construction of an additional washroom.
28
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Fundraising/grants: Fundraising activities enable children to participate in special trips
throughout the year.
Childcare Operator: Rent and maintenance are the sole responsibility of the non-profit
organization that runs the childcare centre.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? The centre is open to
both children of employees and the general public.
If open to the general public, are employees given preference? Yes.
Hours of Operation: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Full-time.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures?
Not indicated.
Ages of children served: 0 – 5.
Number of spaces (by license type): 32.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours (if yes, what hours): No.
Meals: No.
Other? Mothers of infants are encouraged to come to the childcare centre to visit
and tend to their babies.
What are the priority criteria?
Children of employees: Children of employees get priority registration, but children from the
general public can also enroll if there is space.
What works well? The development of a child care centre lends itself to the Body Shop’s company
culture, which is known for its various social action campaigns. This facility was constructed in Ontario as
a result of the influence of the Body Shop’s international headquarters in the UK, which constructed its
own child development centre 4 years prior.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? Not indicated.
Kid Gloves Daycare Western Glove Works Winnipeg, Manitoba
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? There are approximately 1,300 workers
at Western Glove Works’ three sites across Winnipeg. The manufacturing and administrative staff are
predominantly female.
What kind of business does the employer operate? Western Glove Works is a clothing company.
Do their employees work standard hours? If not, what hours do they work? Administrative employees
work a 9 am – 5 pm schedule, while factory employees work 8 and 12 hour shifts over a 24 hour period.
29
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Who owns the childcare facility:
Employer: Western Glove Works owns the facility.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? The facility is located at one of Western Glove Works’
three factories, in an area in downtown Winnipeg that is well served by transit.
If the facility is not located on-site, is transportation provided? No transportation is provided for
the children of employees who work at the other Western Glove Works locations.
Who operates:
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The employer leases the space to a childcare operator, Kid Gloves Daycare, which is managed by
an independent board of directors, including a childcare director, one parent, and three
representatives from the employer.
Is the operator a non-profit society or a private operator? Is this their only facility or are they
part of a chain or franchise? It is a for-profit operator and this is their only facility.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction:
Employer: Western Glove Works built the childcare facility as part the expansion of one its
factories.
Municipal or senior governments: The centre received financial assistance from the
municipal, provincial and federal governments as part as an initiative to revitalize
Winnipeg’s core area.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: The employer provides daily custodial services, grounds maintenance, office
and maintenance supplies, and the use of free office equipment to the childcare centre.
Western Glove Works established a small subsidy system for its employees who use the
centre. In 2001, the company paid $2.10 per day (or $42.00 per month) for each child. The
company also pays the full fee for two emergency spaces when employees use them.
Parent fees: In 2001, employees paid $334 per month for a childcare space, and parents
from the general public paid $347.
Government subsidies: Workers are able to apply for a provincial child-care subsidy if they
have children who attend the centre full-time.
Fundraising/grants: The employer solicits donations of money or equipment for the
childcare centre from its suppliers and some of its customers. This initiative brings
between $4,000 and $10,000 to the childcare centre every year.
Childcare Operator: In 2001, the childcare operator paid an annual rent of $19,000 to
Western Glove Works.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? Open to employees and the
general public.
30
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
If open to the general public, are employees given preference? Yes.
Hours of Operation: 6:45 am – 6:15 pm, Monday to Friday.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Both.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? The
centre provides care during the summer, as well as Christmas holidays, professional development
days, and Spring Break. After-school care is provided for school-aged children. The centre also
opens on Saturdays when enough employees need the service.
Ages of children served: 2 – 12 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 50.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours (if yes, what hours): No.
Meals: No.
Other? The centre reserves 5 of its 50 spaces for children with special needs.
What are the priority criteria?
Children of employees: Children of employees get priority, but children from general public are
allowed to register if there is space.
What works well? The childcare centre projects a positive image for Western Glove Works to the
community and its customers.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? While the original motivation of the
workplace childcare centre was for Western Glove Works employees, the centre primarily serves children
whose parents do not work for the company. The survey that preceded the construction of the childcare
centre did not accurately assess the needs of employees. The survey was conducted in English and did
not take into consideration the cultural diversity of the company’s labour force, which is primarily made
up of immigrant women. A multicultural approach has since been taken in the centre’s operations, which
has led to modest improvements in employee registration.
University Children’s Centre Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? Dalhousie University employs 3,900
workers and serves 14,000 students.
What kind of business does the employer operate? Educational institution.
Do their employees work standard hours? If not, what hours do they work? Employees mostly work
standard hours.
Who owns the childcare facility:
Employer: Dalhousie University owns the University Children’s Centre’s various childcare
facilities.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? The centre’s two buildings are located on-site of
Dalhousie University’s campus.
31
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Who operates:
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The employer leases the space to a non-profit operator.
Is the operator a non-profit society or a private operator? Is this their only facility or are they
part of a chain or franchise? The childcare centre is run by the University Children’s Centre, which
is an independent not-for-profit organization that is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction?
Employer: Dalhousie University provided free space in two separate buildings on their
campus, as well as provided start-up and expansion costs.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: Dalhousie University provides free maintenance and repair services.
Parent fees: Not indicated.
Government subsidies: The centre receives funding from the provincial government and
hires summer staff through a federal student employment program.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? Both.
If open to the general public, are employees given preference? Yes.
Hours of Operation: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Both.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? Yes.
Ages of children served: 4 months to 10 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 105.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours (if yes, what hours): No.
Meals: No.
Other? Many departments at the university are involved with the childcare centre’s
operations. The music department, for instance, provides a music program for children
above the age of two. Nursing students also administer eye tests for children and library
science students do their practicums with the childcare centre.
What are the priority criteria?
Children of employees: Children of Dalhousie employees get priority.
Other criteria: Children of students at Dalhousie University also get priority.
What works well? The university has access to convenient quality childcare, while the centre takes
32
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
advantage of the facilities and resources available on campus and receives support of various kinds from
Dalhousie University’s administration.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? Not indicated.
La voûte enchantée Childcare Centre National Bank of Canada Montreal, Quebec
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? 4,000.
What kind of business does the employer operate? Banking.
Do their employees work standard hours? If not, what hours do they work? Support staff and
management tend to work standard business hours, but branch employees sometimes work until 8:00
pm and call-centre employees work until 9:00 pm.
Who owns the childcare facility:
Building owner: The childcare facility is owned by the property owner of a rental building in
downtown Montreal.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? The childcare centre is located two blocks from
the National Bank of Canada’s (NBC) corporate headquarters in Montreal.
If the facility is not located on-site, is transportation provided? No.
Who operates:
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The employer rents the space of a downtown Montreal building on behalf of the childcare
operator.
Is the operator a non-profit society or a private operator? Is this their only facility or are they
part of a chain or franchise? The childcare centre is operated by La voûte enchantéee Childcare
Centre, which is an independent non-profit organization.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction?
Employer: NBC covered the start-up costs that remained after government subsidies were
used in the construction of the centre. When the centre had to move in 1994, the
provincial government was not able to issue another grant because a previous move had
occurred too recently. NBC covered the entire $425,000 cost of move.
Municipal or senior governments: The provincial government provided funding for the
start-up of the centre.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: NBC covers the cost of rent, maintenance, and custodial services for the centre.
In 2001, NBC’s contribution to the childcare centre was worth approximately $265,000 per
year.
Parent fees: $7 a day.
Government subsidies: The Quebec Department of Family and Child Welfare funds the
33
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
childcare centre, which subsidizes the costs to parents. The centre applies for and usually
receives a federal government grant that enables it to hire a summer student. It also receives
a municipal tax rebate for being a non-profit organization.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? Open to employees only.
If open to the general public, are employees given preference? N/A.
Hours of Operation: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Both.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? The
centre offers a non-subsidized summer day camp for school-aged children, which parents pay
daily fee for.
Ages of children served: Infant – School Aged.
Number of spaces (by license type): The centre has three separate facilities, two of which can
accommodate 60 children and one that can accommodate 50 children. The centre also has a
home childcare service with 20 spaces. The total capacity is 190 children.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours (if yes, what hours): One Friday each month, the centre is open until
midnight.
Meals: The centre has a free breakfast and a subsidized dinner for registered children.
Other? The centre offers both English and French immersion.
What are the priority criteria? N/A – the centre’s services are exclusively for children of employees.
What works well? A study revealed that the childcare centre has made employees who use it more likely
to stay with NBC. Two company representatives sit on the centre’s Board of Directors and have been
there since the centre’s inception. They have provided an element of continuity and their expertise in
human resources have benefitted the centre’s operations. NBC also works with employees to re-arrange
their work schedules to meet their family obligations. Parents can take 6 weeks off without pay in the
summer, which they can combine with their annual vacation leave to care for children during the
summer months. They can also take up to a year off without pay to care for a family member. Job sharing
is also an option.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? The first site of the childcare centre was
constructed in an office building in Montreal’s downtown core. The project was a first for the Quebec
Department of Social Affairs. This location presented some particular challenges because the
government’s design standards were more tailored to sites in residential areas. Moreover, the employer,
rather than the community, was to be the main partner. Parents can choose any combination of days for
care for their child, from one to five days, except for a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday combination.
In the past, employees would choose this combination in order to have a four-day weekend. Childcare
spaces became too difficult to fill on Mondays and Fridays, so the option was eliminated.
34
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Beach, J., Friendly, M., and Schmidt, L. (1993). Work-Related Child Care in Context: A Study of
Work-Related Child Care in Canada. Occasional Paper No. 3.
This report surveyed 138 work-related childcare centres across Canada and examined the role they take
within the country’s broader childcare policy context. The authors raise ethical concerns about the fairness
of work-related childcare centres, as many of these programs are paid for through public funding, yet are
restricted to targeted populations. 75% of the childcare centres that were surveyed are sponsored by a
public sector employer. These programs are therefore supported by more public tax dollars than community
offered childcare programs, yet they enforce eligibility requirements that restrict enrollment. The authors
find that work-related childcare is not the answer to Canada’s childcare situation and that the answer should
rest instead in public policy solutions.
Chouinard, M. and Ridgeway, J. (2016). Family Business: Innovative On-Site Child Care Since 1983.
Ventura, CA: Patagonia.
This book details the development of Patagonia’s on-site childcare program and the role it has played in the
success of the company. Patagonia’s unique approach to sustainable business consists of policies to ensure a
strong work-life balance for its employees. This includes paid leave for employees to take care of themselves
and family members, comprehensive health benefits, and free workplace childcare for employees at
Patagonia’s headquarters in Ventura and at their Reno distribution centre. For 30 years, the company has
provided free on-site childcare and the model is so innovative that they are now sharing it with other busi-
ness leaders. A summary of Patagonia’s Great Pacific Child Development Centre is included here:
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? 1,423 in the US, although it is not
indicated how many of those employees work at Patagonia’s Ventura headquarters. There are 450
workers at the Reno distribution centre.
What kind of business does the employer operate? Patagonia runs an outdoor clothing and gear
company.
Do their employees work standard hours? Employees at the company headquarters and the distribution
centre work standard office hours.
Who owns the childcare facility:
Employer: Patagonia owns the childcare facilities.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? The childcare centres are located onsite of the
Patagonia headquarters in Ventura, California and its distribution centre in Reno, Nevada.
If the facility is not located on-site, is transportation provided? Patagonia offers pickup from
local elementary schools for children in their after-school program.
Who operates:
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The employer hires childcare professionals to operate the childcare centre. They are treated as
Patagonia employees.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction?
35
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Employer: Patagonia funded the construction of the childcare centre, which came as
part of the construction of a new building at their Ventura headquarters in 1984. They
recently funded the construction of an on-site centre at their distribution centre in Reno,
Nevada in February 2016.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: Patagonia invests $1 million per year to operate its childcare centre in Ventura,
California. The annual costs of operations at their Reno childcare centre have not yet been
released.
Parent fees: None. Free childcare is offered as part of Patagonia’s employee benefits program.
Government subsidies: The federal government in the US grants a qualified childcare program a
yearly tax credit of $150,000. The government also allows a company to deduct 35 per cent of its
unrecovered costs from its corporate tax bite. Patagonia claims that it is able to recoup 50 per
cent of its costs through tax benefits.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? Open to employees only.
Hours of Operation: 7:30 am to 5:15 pm.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Both.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? The
centres offer a summer childcare program.
Ages of children served: 0 – 8 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 80.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours (if yes, what hours): No.
Meals: They offer twice-a-day snacks of organic, locally sourced fresh produce.
Other? When nursing mothers go on a business trip, Patagonia’s Travel Support Program
funds the cost of a family member or a caregiver to accompany the nursing mom. Surfing
lessons are offered as part of Patagonia’s summer childcare program at its Ventura
headquarters. Parents are also offered quarterly classroom meetings, parent-teacher
conferences, and transition plans as part of their childcare benefit. The childcare
curriculum includes bilingual immersion, sign language, art, and music.
What are the priority criteria?
Children of employees: Patagonia’s childcare centres are only open to children of employees at
its Ventura headquarters and its Reno distribution centre.
What works well? Patagonia estimates that it able to recoup 91% of its childcare costs: 50% through tax
breaks, 30% through employee retention, and 11% through employee engagement. Women make up
about 50% of Patagonia’s workforce, including roughly half of upper management. 100% of women
return to work after childbirth at the company, compared to the 75% rate nationwide.
36
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? Not indicated.
den Dulk, L., Peters, P. and Poutsma, E. (2012). Variations in adoption of workplace work–family
arrangements in Europe: the influence of welfare state regime and organizational characteristics.
In The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 23:13, 2785-2808.
This study analyzed the workplace work-family arrangements of 2800 organizations in 19 countries. The
findings show that support for workplace arrangements is positively correlated with organizational
conditions and characteristics. Results indicate that when work-family arrangements are dictated by the
market, employers often do not make up for the lack of public benefits. This research suggests that public
support is needed in addition to workplace work-family programs.
Gullekson, N., Griffeth, R., Vancouver, J., Kovner, C., and Cohen, D. (2014). Vouching for childcare
assistance with two quasi-experimental studies. In Journal of Managerial Psychology. 29(8), 994-
1008.
This research examines employer-sponsored childcare assistance programs as a human resource
management practice. It conducted two different studies, one of which evaluated three groups of hospital
employees’ on their attitudes towards on-site childcare. The other study compared the costs of on-site
childcare to voucher childcare assistance programs. This first study reveals that employee performance was
higher and absenteeism was lower for users of on-site childcare, compared to off-site childcare users and
employees without children. The second study indicates that childcare voucher programs are less expensive
than the costs of operating an on-site childcare centre. Overall, both programs offer a desired benefit to
employees who reciprocate with positive organizational behaviours, such as retention and perceived
organizational support.
Hein, C. & Cassirer, N. (2010). Workplace solutions for childcare. International Labour Office.
Geneva.
This book provides national contexts of work related child care provisions from around the world. It includes
policies, programs, and detailed case studies from Brazil, Chile, France, Hungary, India, Kenya, South Africa,
Thailand, USA, the UK, and France. The findings suggest that workplace child care works best if it is created in
partnership, where employers, government bodies, trade unions, childcare providers, and other
stakeholders work together to find an optimal solution that fits everyone’s needs. A slight limitation of this
research is that there are no examples from Scandinavian countries. Given that Nordic countries are seen to
be a leader in social welfare benefits, this is a curious omission. Included here is a sample of notable case
studies that are part of this anthology:
Rennes Atalante Science and Technology Park in Beaulieu, France
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? The Rennes Atalante Park houses 111
companies that employ more than 7,000 staff.
What kind of business does the employer operate? The inter-enterprise park houses companies in the
electronics, information, communication, technology, transport, and health sectors.
Do their employees work standard hours? If not, what hours do they work? No, many health and
transport workers work irregular and atypical working hours, which include early morning, night and
weekend work schedules.
37
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Who owns the childcare facility:
Employer : Rennes Atalante’s inter-enterprise childcare facility is owned by Rennes Metropolis, a
transport company that is located in the park.
Is the childcare facility shared among more than one employer? Yes, it is shared amongst
the inter-enterprise park’s companies who are partnered with the childcare centre.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? It is located on-site of the inter-enterprise park, in a
renovated office space in the Rennes Metropolis building.
Who operates?
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The operations of the childcare centre have been contracted out to the non-profit organization,
ParenBouge.
Is the operator a non-profit society or a private operator? Is this their only facility or are they
part of a chain or franchise? The non-profit operator is part of a franchise that runs childcare
centres for institutional employers across France’s Rennes territory.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction?
Municipal or senior governments: 80% of the start-up funds were cost-shared by France’s
national social security system (CAF) and the French Foundation, a national non-profit
organization.
Other: 20% of the initial 2001 245,000 euro investment was covered by the partner
companies’ Work Councils.
Who covers the operating costs?
Based on 2007 estimates:
Employer: Partner companies pay 2,200 euro per year for a reserved space, or around
14% of total operating costs.
Parent fees: Families cover approximately 20% of operating costs.
Government subsidies: CAF, local authorities, and the municipality of Rennes cover nearly
50% of total operating costs. Tax credits and CAF subsidies cover an additional 16% of
operating costs.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? The childcare centre is only
open to the children of employees of companies who are partnered with the childcare centre.
Spaces are allotted to partner companies and institutions (around 5 spaces each) according to the
terms of their childcare-company contract.
Hours of Operation: 6:00 am – 9:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Regular, occasional, and part-time care is provided.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? No.
38
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Ages of children served: 2.5 months – 4 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 25 spaces with one “open” space reserved for emergency
childcare for non-registered children.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours (if yes, what hours): Yes, 6:00 am – 9:30 pm.
What are the priority criteria?
Children of employees: The centre is only for children of employees.
Low income families: Special attention is given to low-income families and parents with difficult
work-family reconciliation problems.
Other criteria: Priority is also given to single parents and to families where both parents work
atypical hours.
What works well? The companies involved with the centre have reported it has benefitted their public
image and has improved employee retention and morale. The inclusion of diverse stakeholders has also
spread the costs and risks of the centre across many partners. This has provided stability for the
childcare centre, so that even if a partner withdraws, the initiative as a whole can remain intact.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? One potential risk raised by stakeholders
was that on-site childcare would allow employers to try to force employees to work longer hours. These
concerns were minimized as the childcare centre is managed by a third party operator, which leaves
employers unaware of which workers actually use the childcare centre.
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in Chelsea, London and Sutton, Surrey
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? In 2007, the Royal Marsden Trust had
2,376 employees, about three-quarters of which were women.
What kind of business does the employer operate? The Royal Marsden Trust is a Foundation Trust
within the National Health Service (NHS), which is a major provider of public health care in the United
Kingdom (UK).
Do their employees work standard hours? If not, what hours do they work? Staff work on rotating shifts
to cover 24-hour health care, as well as standard 9 am – 5:15 pm hours.
Who owns the childcare facility:
Employer (business that childcare is meant to serve): The childcare facility is owned by the Royal
Marsden Trust.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? The Royal Marsden Trust has two hospitals, one in
Chelsea, London and the other in Sutton, Surrey. An on-site nursery is only located at its Sutton location.
The staff at the Chelsea site in London do not have an on-site nursery, but can access the spaces of an
on-site nursery at one of their partner institutions, the Royal Brompton Hospital. For workers who
cannot use the on-site nurseries, the Trust has negotiated discounts with a number of local childcare
providers. These vouchers often amount to 10% of the standard rate.
39
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Who operates?
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The childcare centre is managed and operated by the Royal Marsden Trust. In 2007, the Trust
hired 16 staff for their on-site nursery, which included a manager and a deputy manager. The
manager reports directly to the Royal Marsden Trust’s Assistant Director of Human Resources.
Is the operator a non-profit society or a private operator? Is this their only facility or are they
part of a chain or franchise? The centre is operated by childcare providers hired directly by the
Royal Marsden Trust.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction?
Employer: The on-site childcare centre is housed in a space provided by the Royal
Marsden’s Trust’s Sutton facility in Surrey.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: Since parent fees do not cover all of the operating costs, the Trust subsidizes the
facility. Employees can save money on fees by joining the Trust’s Workplace Nursery Salary
sacrifice scheme or its Childcare Voucher schemes.
Parent fees: In 2007, fees at the nursery for parents were £32.00 per day for a baby space and
£29.00 for a child space. Staff at the Chelsea site in London who earn less than £25,000 a year and
have children who are 5 years and younger can apply for an employer subsidy to decrease their
childcare costs to £10 per day for the on-site nursery at the Royal Brompton Hospital.
Government subsidies: The full amount of the cost of the childcare can be exempt from tax and
national insurance contributions for the employee and the employer.
Fundraising/grants: The nursery applies for the Nursery Education Grant provided by the
government for all eligible children.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? The on-site nursery at the Royal
Marsden Trust’s Sutton location is open to employees only.
Hours of Operation: 7:45 am – 5:45 pm on weekdays.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Childcare is generally offered on a full-day basis, but it is
possible to attend the centre on a half-day basis as well.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? The
on-site nursery is only offered on weekdays. The Trust has allocated spaces at local schools in
Sutton and Chelsea for children of employees who need care during the school holidays. This is
only for children aged 4 to 14 years and the Trust provides a subsidy to reduce the daily rate to
parents.
Ages of children served: 6 months - 5 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 42 spaces.
40
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Any special services provided?
Extended hours: None.
Meals: Lunch is provided.
Other? Staff are able to access emergency childcare, which is provided through a local
childcare agency that sends a nanny to the employee’s home. Staff can access the service
up to three times per year and the entire cost is covered by the Trust.
What are the priority criteria?
Children of employees: Childcare spaces are allotted to employees on a first-come first-served
basis without distinction related to occupation within the Trust.
What works well? Since the Royal Marsden Trust owns and operates the on-site nursery, it has more
control over the cost and quality of the childcare compared to if it were to outsource the care to a
for-profit provider. Given the very diverse needs of the Trust’s staff and the rather different contexts of
its two locations, a variety of childcare options have been developed for employees. In addition to the
on-site nursery in Sutton, the Trust offers a Care Co-ordinator, discounts with local childcare providers,
childcare vouchers, emergency childcare, and holiday play schemes. The variety has been an integral part
of the success of Trust’s childcare programs.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? Part of the reason why the on-site nursery
is located at the Trust’s location in Sutton, Surrey is because it is believed to work better in a suburban
context. In London, fewer employees live close to work and therefore many have to travel long distances
and often use public transit. This is not always a suitable option for children.
1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East/Employer Child Care Fund in New York, NY
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? 450 employers contribute to the 1199
SEIU/Employer Child Care Fund.
What kind of business does the employer operate? Service Employees International Union 1199
provides benefits to health care employees in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C.
and Florida. 1199S EIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest healthcare union in the United
States. With a membership of 400,000 including retirees, its stated mission is to achieve quality
healthcare, good jobs and social justice for all. The Employer Child Care Fund was established in 1992.
Do their employees work standard hours? If not, what hours do they work? No, many workers work
shifts over a 24-hour period, including weekends.
Who owns the childcare facility:
Building owner: Independent property owners own the 1199 SEIU’s two licensed childcare
facilities.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? As the childcare facilities serve multiple 1199
SEIU health care institutions across New York City, they are not located on any particular work-
site.
If the facility is not located on-site, is transportation provided? No.
41
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Who operates:
Does the employer hire childcare operators or do they lease or rent the space to an operator?
The centres are operated by the 1199 SEIU Employer Child Care Corporation.
Is the operator a non-profit society or a private operator? Is this their only facility or are they
part of a chain or franchise? The 1199 SEIU Employer Child Care Corporation is a non-profit
organization that provides educational programs for children and youth.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction? Not indicated. The building is privately
owned.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: A childcare fund was created based on contributions of 1199 SEIU employers.
Employers typically pay 0.5 per cent of their gross payroll to the childcare fund.
Parent fees: Parents make a co-payment to the childcare centre on a sliding scale and the 1199
SEIU Child Care Fund covers the balance of the tuition. The reimbursement rate is based on the
parents’ annual salary, number of dependents, and type of care.
Government subsidies: Indirectly, the federal government provides a childcare benefit for
parents of children who are under 13 years of age.
Fundraising/grants: Various partners also make contributions, including the NYC Board of
Education, the NYU Metropolitan Center, and a few non-profit organizations.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? One of the facilities is only
open to 1199 SEIU employees who apply for the childcare benefit. The other facility that is
located in the Fordham section of Bronx, New York is open to both 1199 SEIU employees and
people in the community.
If open to the general public, are employees given preference? Yes.
Hours of Operation: 6:45 am – 6:00 pm for 9 months to 5 years; 3 pm – 8:30 pm for ages 5 to 12
years; 9:00 am – 12:00 pm for weekend care (mixed age groupings).
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Both.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? The
childcare fund contracts spaces at local childcare programs during the summer months and
holidays. Parents select a program and make a co-payment to the 1199 SEIU childcare fund. The
fund covers the balance of the costs.
Ages of children served: 9 months – 12 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): Not indicated.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours (if yes, what hours): Yes, the centres are open from 6:45 am to 8:30 pm
on weekdays and 9:00 am – 12:00 pm on weekends. Additionally, parents who require
42
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
weekend care are able to have the costs of community-offered weekend childcare
programs partially subsidized through the 1199 SEIU fund.
Meals: Lunch and two snacks are served at the two on-site centres.
Other? The 1199 SEIU Employer Child Care fund has also contracted spaces at other local
childcare centre and subsidizes fees for parents so they are similar to the fees offered at
their own on-site childcare centres. Moreover, the fund provides a wide variety of
childcare benefits for children up to the age of 17 years, including childcare referral
services, college preparation courses, a voucher system, and emergency care relief.
What are the priority criteria?
Children of employees: The workplace childcare centres are only for children of 1199 SEIU
employees who have access to the Employer Child Care Fund.
Other criteria: There is no guarantee that a worker is able to access the 1199 SEIU Employer Child
Care Fund’s subsidy. Each year, the fund’s trustees approve an annual budget. When employee
demand is greater than what has been allotted in the annual budget, applicants are approved on
a first-come, first-serve basis. However, employees who have not received the benefit before are
given priority over those with a previous history.
What works well? Childcare advisory committees, composed of working parents and volunteers, exist at
each contributing institution and shape the programs that the childcare fund supports.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? The fund cannot afford to finance the
needs of all eligible children among the union members each year. Since members cannot get the benefit
every year, there is a type of rotation system to ensure fairness.
Nowak, M., Naude, M., and Thomas, G. (2013). Returning to Work After Maternity Leave:
Childcare and Workplace Flexibility. In Journal of Industrial Relations. 55(1), 118-135.
This article examines how childcare obligations impact the decision to return work after maternity leave.
Women in health-related positions in Western Australia were surveyed on their attitudes towards childcare,
which included workplace sponsored childcare. Survey responses revealed that women experienced
dissonance between the official family-friendly policies of their workplaces and the actual practices at the
management level. These tensions were related to breastfeeding, compatibility of childcare schedules and
working hours, and so forth. A number of policy issues for workplaces were identified to help facilitate the
return of women to the workforce following maternity leave.
Secret, M. (2006). Integrating Paid Work and Family Work: A qualitative study of parenting in the
workplace childcare experiences. In Community, Work & Family. 9:4, 407-427.
This qualitative study examines parenting in the workplace through a purposive sample of 55 businesses that
allow employees to care for their children while they are on the job. Results show that success was limited to
employees in administrative-like roles. Parenting in the workplace enabled worker productivity and a decline
in absenteeism for those employees who were able to simultaneously perform their job duties and
“supervise well-behaved children.”
43
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
US Department of Labour. (1998). Meeting the Needs of Today’s Workforce: Child Care Best
Practices. Washington, DC. Htto://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/key_workplace/607/.
This report outlines the practices of forty employers based in the United States who provide work-related
child care programs for their employees. The report notes that many of the employers offer a range
childcare services that overlap, including on-site childcare, as well as back-up care, school-aged care, and
holiday programs. Parents who use an on-site child care service reported that they appreciate commuting
with their children, as well as the relief of knowing their children are close by. Here is a selection of short
case studies of on-site child care services that are highlighted in this report:
AlliedSignal Inc. in Morristown, New Jersey
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? 70,500 employees.
What kind of business does the employer operate? AlliedSignal Inc. is a Fortune 100 advanced
technology and manufacturing firm.
Do their employees work standard hours? If not, what hours do they work? Employees work standard
hours.
Who owns the childcare facility:
Employer: Allied Signals owns an on-site childcare centre at its company headquarters in New
Jersey.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? It is located on-site of its company
headquarters.
Who operates: Not indicated.
Who funds?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction? Not indicated.
Who covers the operating costs?
Employer: The employer subsidizes the costs to parents on a sliding scale.
Parent fees: Parents cover the remaining fees.
What are the operating practices?
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? The
centre also offers a summer program, which has expanded due to demand. The centre also
provides emergency back-up childcare.
Ages of children served: 0 – 12 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 90.
What works well? A feasibility survey, focus groups, and an employee survey were conducted prior to
the opening of the centre. Participating parents were also canvassed a year after the opening of the
centre to evaluate worker productivity. Lost work time decreased by 89% and company morale
increased, even amongst workers who did not use the service.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? Not indicated.
44
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Arnold and Porter in Washington, DC
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? 900.
What kind of business does the employer operate? Arnold and Porter is a major law firm in Washington,
DC.
Do their employees work standard hours? For the most part, employees work standard business hours.
Who owns the childcare facility: Not indicated.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? It is located onsite of Arnold and Porter’s Washington,
DC office.
Who operates: Not indicated.
Who funds: Not indicated.
What are the operating practices?
Open to employees only, or also available to the general public? Open to employees only.
Hours of Operation: 8:00 am – 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Full-time care, part-time care or both? Not indicated.
Does the program operate during the summer, stat holidays, or during school closures? Yes.
Ages of children served: 0 – 12 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 55.
Any special services provided?
Extended hours: The centre provides back-up care for employees who need to work on
evenings and weekends for children up to the age of 12. 15 of the centre’s 55 spaces are
reserved for back-up care.
What works well? The centre has reported that many employees use the centre. In its first 6 months of
operation, 87 families used it.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? The firm issued an employee survey prior
to the development of its childcare centre. The survey revealed that employees often did not have a
solution when childcare arrangements fell through, which caused absenteeism. A backup childcare
program came as a result of this feedback.
Trout-Blue Chelan, Inc. in Chelan, Washington
How many employees does the employer have on the payroll? 300.
What kind of business does the employer operate? Trout-Blue Chelan, Inc. is an apple packing
cooperative.
Do their employees work standard hours? Not indicated.
Who owns the childcare facility: Not indicated.
Is the facility located at the worksite, or nearby? On-site.
45
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix A: Literature Review
Who operates: Not indicated.
Who funds? Not indicated.
What are the operating practices?
Ages of children served: 0 – 9 years.
Number of spaces (by license type): 22.
What works well? Once the childcare centre opened, the company experienced an increase in job
applications. Employee retention increased as well. Instead of working for only a few months a season,
many employees began to work full-time so they could qualify for the childcare benefit.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? Trout-Blue Chelan, Inc. is located in a
low-income area of Central Washington State. It has a largely female-dominated employee base, with
many employees who are either single parents or have spouses who work. The company recognized that
it would have to address childcare needs in order to recruit and retain workers. Once the centre opened,
there was an increase in applications and employees tended to stay longer.
What are the challenges and how are they being addressed? Not indicated.
46
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix B: Interview Guides
General Interview Guide:
Hello, my name is Jacqueline Hunter. I am a Master’s Student at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. I am working
with the Childcare Team to research best practices for workplace childcare. The document we are preparing will be used to inform
the development of City policy for workplace childcare. I’m conducting interviews with childcare providers, employers, parents,
advocates, and policy makers. The interview should take about 20-30 minutes. I have a series of questions that I will be asking you
about your experience with workplace childcare. Thank you for your participation in this research.
Do you support workplace childcare? Could you please tell me why or why not?
Do you think workplace childcare benefits working parents?
Do you think workplace childcare benefits children?
Do you think workplace childcare benefits employers?
What are the problems with the current childcare system in meeting the needs of working parents?
Are there issues or challenges with developing or operating a workplace childcare? If yes, what are those challenges?
Should provincial and federal levels of government play a role in the development of workplace childcare?
What should the role of employers be in the development of workplace childcare?
Providing space in their building? If yes, shell or turnkey?
Subsidizing the costs of running the childcare program?
Providing subsidies to parents?
Contributing to capital costs of off-site childcare spaces?
Other?
How many employees should an employer have before they consider providing workplace childcare?
What kind of incentives and regulations would be needed to make this happen?
Is the existing formula used by the City of Vancouver (1 space per 100 employees) appropriate? If no, how do you think it
should be changed?
When a workplace childcare is not required as part of a community amenity contribution, do you think the building owner/
employer should retain ownership of the facility? Or do you think ownership should be turned over to the City?
If the childcare facility is employer-owned, should the employer be responsible for hiring the operator? Or should the City of
Vancouver (or any regulatory body) be involved?
If the employer runs the operations of the workplace childcare facility:
It is fair to prioritize the registration of children of employees?
It is fair to charge families who don’t work for the employer a higher childcare fee?
Are there any other aspects of workplace childcare you would like to expand upon?
47
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix B: Interview Guides
Interview Guide for Employers:
Hello, my name is Jacqueline Hunter. I am a Master’s Student at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. I am working
with the Childcare Team to research best practices for workplace childcare. The document we are preparing will be used to inform
the development of City policy for workplace childcare. I’m conducting interviews with childcare providers, employers, parents,
advocates, and policy makers. The interview should take about 20-30 minutes. I have a series of questions that I will be asking you
about your experience with workplace childcare. Thank you for your participation in this research.
How many employees do you have?
Are these primarily permanent full-time workers?
Do you employ part-time workers? Seasonal or auxiliary workers? Contract workers? What proportion of your workforce fall
into these categories?
What was your motivation for providing workplace childcare?
Who owns the childcare facility?
Is the facility shared among multiple employers?
Is it located on-site? Or off-site (If off-site, how close is it to the employer?)?
Who runs the childcare?
Have you provided any financial or in-kind assistance to the childcare centre? (Ex: subsidies to parents; supply of land;
maintenance costs; design and development of the facility; operation and management of the facility; etc.)
As an employer, are you involved in the childcare in other ways? If yes, how?
Has your support changed since the workplace childcare centre opened? If so, in what ways?
Who funded the actual childcare facility construction?
Do employees get priority registration for childcare spaces?
What priority criteria do operators apply to waitlists?
Is there currently a waitlist? If yes,
How many children are waiting for a space?
Are there employees currently waiting to get their children into the centre? If so, how many?
How long do parents generally have to wait to access a space? Does this vary by type of care?
What proportion of children in the childcare centre are children of employees?
What is the cost to a workplace employee for enrolling their child at this centre? Is there a different fee for families that don’t
work for your company? If yes, what is the fee?
What other programs do you provide to help workers balance their work and their personal life?
Are parents involved in the operations of the childcare centre? If yes, how?
Since the implementation of the childcare centre, what kind of benefits have you experienced?
An increase in staff retention?
An improvement in recruiting?
A decrease in absenteeism?
An increase in productivity?
What has contributed to the success of the childcare program? What would you do differently if you were just starting out?
Are there any other aspects of workplace childcare you would like to expand upon?
48
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix B: Interview Guides
Interview Guide for Childcare Operators:
Hello, my name is Jacqueline Hunter. I am a Master’s Student at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. I am working
with the Childcare Team to research best practices for workplace childcare. The document we are preparing will be used to inform
the development of City policy for workplace childcare. I’m conducting interviews with childcare providers, employers, parents,
advocates, and policy makers. The interview should take about 20-30 minutes. I have a series of questions that I will be asking you
about your experience with workplace childcare. Thank you for your participation in this research.
Do your childcare programs serve people who work in the building or the neighbourhoods where the childcare facility is
located?
Are there any issues or challenges with developing a workplace childcare?
Do these tend to be people who work in higher paid positions, or do you also serve people who work in lower paid sectors?
Who owns the childcare facility?
Do you rent or lease the space at a market rate? Or at a subsidized rate?
How many people typically work for the employer(s) involved with the childcare service that you are affiliated with? What
kind of hours do they work?
Are the facilities located on the work site of the employer(s)? If off-site, how close are they to the employer? Is transportation
provided between the two?
Are you (the childcare operator) a:
A non-profit organization
A privately owned childcare company
An individual hired by the employer
Have you ever received any financial or in-kind assistance from the employer?
Has the employer’s support changed since the workplace childcare opened? If so, in what ways?
Who has funded the actual childcare facility construction?
Who covers the operating costs?
What are your hours of operations?
Are there ever requests from parents to change the hours, expand them, or make them more flexible?
How do you accommodate any sudden or non-typical childcare needs of workplace employees?
How many children do you accommodate?
Do employees get priority registration for childcare spaces?
What priority criteria is applied to waitlists?
What are your thoughts on employee priority registration? Do you think it is fair?
Is there currently a waitlist? If yes, how many children are waiting for a space?
Are there employees currently waiting to get their children into the centre? If so, how many?
How long do parents generally have to wait to access a space? Does this vary by the type of care?
Typically, what proportion of registered children are children of employees?
What is the cost to a workplace employee for enrolling their child at this centre?
Is there a different fee for families that don’t work for the company that is affiliated with the centre? If yes, what is that fee?
49
Workplace Childcare | Hunter
Appendix B: Interview Guides
Are parents involved in the operations of the childcare centre?
How do children seem to respond to knowing their parents are close by?
Does your centre offer breastfeeding facilities?
Have you had any comments from parents about what they especially like about the centres? Or things they would like to
improve?
Are you aware of other childcare centres affiliated with a workplace? Do you think they are offering anything innovative?
Do you think the employer who is affiliated with your childcare centre is interested in doing an interview for our study? Would
I be able to get an introduction?
Are there any other aspects of workplace childcare you would like to expand upon?
