MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There are 401Ks and healthcare benefits for many, but what about childcare benefits?
As the cost of childcare continues to rise, it is becoming one of the fastest-growing trends that experts in business are seeing, and Memphis Area Transit Authority is doing something about it.
MATA started helping its employees out this month by paying $200 a month towards their employees’ childcare.
This is due to its partnership with the childcare tech app called TOOTRiS, which has more than 185,000 licensed childcare providers on its network. It helps connect parents and providers directly and helps parents quickly find and secure quality childcare.
If you are a parent and you work for MATA, all you have to do is simply go online, type in your city or zip code, and browse through a list of childcare providers that show how many openings they have in real-time on the app.
MATA will pay the first $200 of the monthly enrollment, with parents paying the difference.
MATA Spokeswoman Mia Harvey, who is also a mom, said the entire transportation industry is hurting for new employees and the company is hopeful this will bring in more people.
“We have night shifts, swing shifts, early morning shifts, so child care can definitely be an issue if you have a driver that needs to come in at 3:30 in the morning, or a mechanic or someone in the maintenance department who works the 12-8 shift,” Harvey said. “So, to have childcare that can coordinate with those schedules is definitely a plus.”
TOOTRiS Creative Director Jeff McAdam added that they want to help as many parents as they can.
“We are seeing about a 500% increase in companies signing up for childcare benefits as of late. Because they know their working parents have a tough choice to make. As the cost of childcare goes up and up and up, do they drop out to help take care of their kids, or can they afford to stay in the workforce?” McAdam explained. “This solution helps take care of that problem.”
Right now, MATA is looking for people to fill administrative openings, as well as human resources, maintenance, operators and more.
“I’m actually really excited that we are having this program. As a three-time mom with a newborn, this is right on time. COVID has definitely changed what the workforce can look like. It has changed for what people are looking for in companies. So, to be able to apply for this additional benefit I think is great,” Harvey said.
This is definitely helpful since a report recently showed how a family with two kids in daycare typically spends more than $20,000 a year.
For information on how you can sign up or even find employment at MATA, you can click here.
For more information about TOOTRiS, click here.