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Example Policies and Practices used by Family-Friendly Workplaces

Family-friendly workplaces use policies and practices to support working parents. The following are examples of family-friendly practices that organizations of all sizes can consider implementing.

A. Childcare Assistance

There are many ways employers can support their employees in finding high-quality, affordable childcare from on-site childcare centers to simple referrals. Access to quality childcare increases a parent or caregiver’s loyalty and productivity, as well as helps businesses attract and retain talent.

Example childcare benefits:

  • On-site and near-site childcare (operated by employer or external contractors)
  • Childcare vouchers, stipends, and reimbursements as cash assistance towards dependent care
  • Sponsored/paid childcare slots or discounts for childcare at off-site childcare providers
  • Referrals for childcare
  • Backup or emergency childcare
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSA) and Employer Subsidized Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Investment in broader community childcare solutions, such as donating annually to Lincoln Littles so that low- and middle-income families can access quality childcare

B. Flexible Work & Scheduling

Allowing flexibility in the time or place work is performed is helpful to employees in managing their work and personal responsibilities. And while flexible work is highly valued in many situations, in some industries it is critical for employees to have a standardized, reliable work schedule, making it easier to schedule childcare and other activities outside the workplace.

Example flexible work arrangements:

  • Allowing occasional flexibility
  • Allowing time off during work hours for medical and/or personal appointments
  • Setting core hours
  • Job sharing
  • Offering part-time work options
  • Alternate work week (also called compressed schedules)
  • Return to work gradually post leave
  • Work part-day or part-year to match school schedules
  • Allowing employees to attend school meetings/parent conferences during the day
  • Remote work
  • If schools or childcare close unexpectedly, allowing employees to work from home, adjust their work schedule, take the day off (paid), or bring the child to work.

C. Paid and Unpaid Leave

Employers have many forms of paid and unpaid leave that they can choose to offer employees that support working families. Paid time off for new parents, regardless of gender or whether the child is biological or adopted, helps families bond and adjust without losing income.

Example paid and unpaid leave:

  • Paid Family Leave
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Paid Vacation Leave
  • Personal Leave
  • FMLA
  • Unpaid Time off
  • School-related Leave
  • Religious Observance Leave
  • Bereavement Leave
  • Community Service Leave
  • Sabbatical Leave

D. Health & Wellness Benefits & Flexible Spending

Health insurance and other health-related benefits contribute to the financial stability and well-being of employees and their families.

Example health and wellness benefits:

  • Health insurance options that cover spouses, children, and dependents at a reduced group rate
  • 100% employer sponsored health care coverage
  • Fertility Assistance or Benefits
  • Adoption Assistance or Benefits
  • Short-term Disability
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • College Saving (529 Plan)
  • Workplace Wellness Program

E. New Parent Accommodations

There are a number of practices businesses can provide to enable a successful return to work, accommodate nursing mothers, and support new and expecting parents.

Example accommodations for new and nursing mothers:

  • Reasonable break time for employees to express milk
  • Functional space for expressing milk; meaning a room that is private with a locking door, available as needed, not a bathroom, and includes proper amenities such as a chair, electrical outlets, and sink access
  • Appropriate breast milk storage (such as a refrigerator or small cooler)
  • Lactation space accessible to clients/customers
  • Modified duty (assessing job duties and hazards they currently face in their position and provide alternatives)
  • Return-to-Work program to help ease the transition for new parents
  • Allowing employees to bring their babies (biological, adopted, or foster) to work

F. Caregiver Support Resources

Providing education or training to expecting/new parents and/or regular employees around caregiving support resources can help employees manage caregiving responsibilities for children, elders, or other dependents. This goes beyond basic leave and ensures families have access to practical support.

Example caregiver support resources:

  • Partner with a local nonprofit to provide workshops or information sessions on parenting, breastfeeding, financial planning, self-care, sleep management, stress management, support groups, and counseling (mental health, family, spouse)
  • Offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free counseling sessions, legal advice, and childcare referrals.

G. Inclusive Culture & Community Engagement

By recognizing the various ways families are structured and encouraging engagement in community life, employers can build a sense of belonging, strengthen employee wellbeing, and deepen connections between work, family, and community.

Example inclusive culture and community practices:

  • Incorporating workplace policies that recognize and support all family types and caregiving structures and that apply equally, whether an employee is a single parent, stepparent, foster parent, adoptive parent, grandparent caregiver, or part of a two-parent household
  • Allowing or providing opportunities for employees to engage in community events
  • Providing paid volunteer time or company-sponsored service activities
  • Offer family-inclusive workplace events or spaces