Childcare is an economic issue, and addressing it requires a multi-faceted approach. That’s the crux of the new Business Navigator program in New York State, aimed at helping employers recruit and retain employees who have childcare needs.

Nationwide, infant and toddler childcare cost $122 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue in 2023 according to a survey by ReadyNation. Families lost $78 billion in earnings because they could not find childcare. Locally, we know there are numerous businesses looking to hire workers, and childcare may be a barrier for many potential employees.

The CHQ Chamber was pleased to partner with the Small Business Development Center this past week on a compelling WIN in Business event focused on the Child Care Impact on the Workforce. The speakers were Beth Starks and Sue Marker. Beth is executive director of the Chautauqua Lake Child Care Center and a consultant in early childhood education who served on the state task force in helping to shape policy changes on this issue. Sue is the director of the Child Care Council with Chautauqua Opportunities and has had a long career in nonprofit and for-profit management. Their instructive presentation focused on a plethora of critical issues from employer needs to availability of childcare and the rollout of the Business Navigator.

The Early Care & Learning Council, the Child Care Resource Center, and the Regional Economic Development Councils across New York State recently unveiled the Business Navigator, with the goals of providing employers with strategies to support specific needs of employees while also providing a strong return on their investment. The Business Navigator demonstrates how Child Care Resource Centers can focus on the needs of both employers and employees by connecting them with meaningful services and programs. Referral services can be customized.

Employer-sponsored childcare can yield significant returns by increasing productivity, reducing turnover, and attracting talent to the workplace. Family-friendly employer options include programs such as New York Paid Family Leave, Dependent Care Assistance Plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, Child Care Scholarships, Employee Assistance Programs, Flextime, and more. New York State offers a variety of regulated childcare through childcare centers, family care in homes, and what’s known as Legally Exempt care when a family member or friend can be hired to provide care. These options can all provide quality care, and there may be financial aid available to cover any or all of them.

There are incentives available for businesses including the federal Employer-provided Child Care Credit and in New York State the Employers-Supported Tax Credit, the Excelsior Child Care Services Tax Credit, and the Child Care Creation and Expansion Tax Credit. You can learn more or request a free downloadable copy of the Business Navigator Employers Guide to Child Care Solutions in New York State at eclcemployerchildcaretoolkit.com.

Business After Hours at Audubon

Audubon Community Nature Center, located at 1600 Riverside Road, Jamestown, will host the CHQ Chamber and the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry in a collaborative Business After Hours Event, on Thursday, March 20 from 5-6:30pm. This event will be a preview for Audubon Lights, which kicks off its three-weekend run the following evening. Audubon Lights features a half mile-long trail of lights after sunset including luminaries on the trail edges, illuminated trees, and special light displays at various points along the trail.

All local businesspeople are invited to attend this special networking event, which will include complimentary appetizers and beverages, with tips to benefit the Audubon Community Nature Center’s mission of connecting people to nature. Bring business cards for networking and door prize drawings.

CHQ Chamber member organizations can send two people free of charge to all Business After Hours events. Non-members or anyone above the two-person limit will be $10. Registration for CHQ Chamber members is open online now through the Chamber’s web calendar at www.chqchamber.org. Members of the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry should email Savannah Casey at szimmerman@wccbi.org to register free of charge. Advanced registration is strongly encouraged by March 14.

Business After Hours at Audubon Community Nature Center is sponsored by Anchor Advisors, DFT Communications, Jamestown Community College, Kinetic Business, LaBella Associates, Media One Radio Group, Northwest Bank, Observer, The Post-Journal, Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Superior Tire & Rubber Corp., United Refining Company, and Whirley DrinkWorks!

Business Builder Workshop March 24

The next CHQ Chamber Business Builder Workshop is titled Corporate Citizenship and Engagement, but that tells just part of the story that will unfold.

Our guest presenters for this event will be John Felton from the Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Any Rohler with United Way of Chautauqua County, and John Raymond, owner of Honest John’s Pizza. Together, these local business and nonprofit leaders will focus on how engagement with the community boosts your business image through donations, sponsorship, volunteerism, and more.

This workshop is for any businessperson, no matter the size of your organization, that may be interested in getting more involved in the community or helping to brand your business through engagement opportunities. It’s also for non-profits that may be interested in learning more about how these business decisions are made. The CHQ Chamber always builds-in networking opportunities that may help link local businesses and organizations in meaningful ways.

This event will be held March 24 from 1-3pm at the Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union Community Training Center, 110 Mall Boulevard in Lakewood. Sponsors are Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Brooks-TLC Hospital System, Kinetic Business, Jamestown Community College, Media One Radio Group, Observer, and The Post-Journal.