Conference moira::parenting_v3

878.0. "Parenting policies: info needed" by DEMON::CHALMERS (Ski or die...) Fri May 03 1991 11:20

My non-noting manager is, like me, a relatively new dad, and has asked for
my help in gathering some information. Knowing of the wealth of information
shared in this conference, he's asked me to enter this topic. Here's the 
situation:

His wife is a manager at a small (500-people) high tech company which doesn't
have sufficient personnel policies addressing parenting issues, especially in
the areas of, but not limited to, parental leave, daycare and part time
employment. She and some co-workers have set up a meeting with the personnel
director to discuss these issues in an attempt to help develop such policies. 

In preparation for this meeting, she is trying to gather information from some
of the more parent-friendly companies here in eastern Mass, to review and use
as a baseline for formulating this company's new policies. However, her only
contact so far is with DEC, and therein lies his request...

So far, my manager and I have gotten ahold of the following DEC policies that
somehow relate to parenting issues, (and are seeking permission to 'officially'
share them with his wife):

	Policy 2.06 - Employment Status (addresses part-time status)

	Policy 4.04 - Dependent Care Reimbursement

	Policy 4.23 - Leave of Absence (addresses parental leave and 
		      maternity STD)

	Policy 6.38 - Dependent Care (states DEC's policy of not funding
		      daycare centers, either on-site or off-site)  

In addition, I'm putting him in touch with DEC's child-care referral office.

My questions are:

1) In addition to what I've listed above, can anyone point me to other sources 
of information within DEC, or can you tell me of other personnel policies that 
might deal with parenting issues?

2) Does anyone know of a public notes file (i.e. ASKNET, USENET, etc...) that
is similar in content to our PARENTING notes file?

3) Does anyone know of another E-Mass company (doesn't have to be high-tech),
that has what could be considered a good set of parenting policies? or have a 
contact we could use in such a company? (Stride-Rite in Cambridge, for example,
comes to mind).

Sorry for being so long-winded, but I'm happy to hear of what she and her
co-workers are attempting to do, and would like to help out in any way I can.
As always, pointers are welcome.  

Freddie

    About other companies who treat parents well: in addition to
    Stride Rite I would check out Lotus. I hear they have very good
    human resources policies in general. 
    
    Lucy
    

net.kids on Usenet is pretty comparable to PARENTING (although the signal-to-
noise ratio was pretty low back when I used to read it).

	-Neil

    You might also contact DEC's Corporate Childcare Program Office (I
    think the program manager is Laurie Margolies). I was doing some
    research for school and they sent me some additional info. like:
    Digital's Policy/Guideline statement and a copy of a recent issue of a
    national magazine (Working Mother?) which details lots of company's
    approaches to this issue. As you've already mentioned, you may need to
    get Digital permission in order to share this with outside firms.

    I would contact the state and find out what the laws are first.  It's a
    place to start.
    
    Mike

    You might also try Wang Laboratories in Lowell, Massachusetts. They have 
    (had?) a child care center for their employees and may have some other 
    positive policies as well.
    
    IBM also has great policies. I read this in the Working Mother
    magazine, which lists such things when they do their annual ranking of 
    the top 100 companies for working moms. Perhaps your wife can get back 
    copies at the library.

    I'd like to suggest Commerce Insurance in Webster.  They have a child
    care on site facility with an excellent reputation.  I had heard at one
    time that they had waiting lists both for the child care facility, by
    both people wanting to work there, as well as children waiting for a
    spot.  I also understand that long before the large numbers of
    unemployed, they had a long list of people want to work at Commerce,
    simply because of its daycare center.
    
    Lyn