Pittsburgh, PA (December 4, 2017)- Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Gilman and Mayor William Peduto announced that the City of Pittsburgh will provide free child care for its employees on days that Pittsburgh Public Schools are closed while City offices remain open. The City will also offer free child care to residents during certain community meetings.
“Data shows that family-friendly workplace policies reduce costly turnover and boost productivity. By offering at-work child care to our employees, the City is investing in its employees and ensuring that we continue to provide a high level of service to the residents of Pittsburgh,” said Councilman Dan Gilman. “As a city where the input of all residents is valued, we must ensure that family needs do not stand in the way of community involvement and enable more Pittsburghers to become active members of their neighborhoods. I thank Mayor Peduto and his administration for their work on this critical initiative.”
Councilman Gilman will introduce legislation during the Regular Meeting of Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday, December 5th to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the program. Councilwoman Deborah Gross will cosponsor the legislation. Through this initiative, the City will offer free child care to its employees on the 15 annual days during which Pittsburgh Public Schools are closed and provide child care to the members of the public at 20 City-sponsored community meetings each year.
"No parent should have to take a day off from work or forfeit the opportunity to be active in our community because of a lack of childcare,” said Mayor William Peduto. “Providing at-work childcare is essential for attracting and retaining a talented and diverse workforce and providing on-site childcare at community meetings throughout the year will help eliminate unnecessary barriers that prevent families from investing in their communities.”
Studies confirm that child care benefits help to broaden the talent pool, retain employees, and reduce costly turnover. The Modern Family Index indicated that 69% of job applicants with children listed at-work child care as a top need when selecting an employer.
In addition, at-work child care has proven benefits to employers, including increasing morale and employee performance. A report from the National Child Care Information Center stated that 85% of employers who offered at-work child care reported higher morale and improved work performance.
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