Business Beat
Helping Employees During Back to School Time
For most, back-to-school looks different again this year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the usual operations for schools and various workplaces. Many students finished the 2020-21 school year in a hybrid fashion, spending some days (or, in some cases, half-days) in the classroom — while others continued learning completely remotely. At the same time, many of their parents or caretakers either went back to work full-time, started working in a hybrid fashion, or continued working remotely (some, permanently). As the 2021-22 school year begins, many working parents are still left grappling with the uncertainty of what the school year might bring with concerns related to COVID-19 variants. Will their kids be able to return to a physical school building full-time? And if so, will it continue for the full school year? Will they be able complete full workdays without sacrificing their child’s education, job performance, and mental health? To help working parents continue maintaining a balance between their personal and professional obligations during these unpredictable times, employers may wish to provide flexible work arrangements that work for everyone.
Challenges families face as schools reopen
Parents may be considering the potential risks of kids returning to a physical school building. Alternatively, those whose children are not returning to the classroom on a full-time basis, or who will continue learning remotely, may be concerned about how athome learning may impact their work schedule. Working parents of school-age children are contending with a number of possible
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scenarios that include: Some schools will fully reopen, while others will continue to offer remote learning options. Some schools may provide students with a hybrid learning model, where students are on site some school days, and are at home for the remainder. For working parents, this can make it difficult to balance home and work life, especially on days when their children are learning at home or do not have a structured school program. If students go to school inperson and there is a reported case of COVID-19, depending on school guidelines (which often follow existing federal, state and local guidelines), staff and students may be required to quarantine and remain out of school for designated periods of time. In such a case, parents may need to be home or find childcare for this period of time. If students will be doing any form of remote learning and the parent is working from home, the parent may have to balance childcare with their job responsibilities during work hours.
What can employers do to help working parents as kids return to school?
If you have employees who are struggling with balancing childcare and work, it’s important to have an honest and direct communication so that together you can better understand the employee’s work limitations, identify whether a reasonable accommodation for their situation is available, and explore any additional options that may be available.
Create a plan
Part of having direct communication with an employee includes setting aside any preconceived notions of what is and is not reasonable, or what an employee can or cannot do, and approach this process from the perspective of what you can do to help this person remain a productive worker. Documentation is also key when an employee requests time off due to a childcare reason. Engage with employees to try to understand why they are unable to work or telework, explore possible options, and evaluate eligibility for leave. More specifically, work through the following steps:
