Below is the feedback we received during the networking exercise at the Making It Work events in Toronto and Calgary last week.
Participants were asked to brainstorm on how they would handle childcare, mat leave policies, their workplace, anything to make it better for them as a working mom. Here are their answers categorized by groupings. Please feel free to continue the conversation.
Childcare
· $7 per day for child care – like Quebec
· Improved supply for quality day care and midwives
· Nannies paid by government
· Subsidies for childcare
· Better daycare standards
· More accommodating daycare hours
· Full time nanny during maternity leave – helper for newborn, especially for people with no support system
· Affordable daycare
Work Arrangements & Infrastructure
· More opportunities for job sharing, part time employment at higher salary levels. And a change of attitude from the corporate culture.
· Prorate the work week – more flex time
· Extra curricular – working parents do not have time to give i.e.) fundraising.
· Job sharing – more encouragement
· Better facility at workplace to enable breast feeding during the day
· Flex hours – with more breaks
· Keeping in touch while away on maternity leave by employers
· Day care at office
· Better environment to support part time work
· Work from home option more available
Government Regulations
· Penalties for layoffs on Mat leave and amend the EI act
· Increase tax deduction for child care
· Government regulation – accessible day care
· Increase the % of EI paid towards your salary
· Better tax laws to encourage stay at home mom’s
· Tax credits to use eco-friendly products
· Better benefits for fathers in terms of taking time off and spending time with wife and children
· Maternity leave with full pay up to 5 years old
· Maternity leave with full pay up to 5 years old
· Stay at home parent should be paid
Maternity/Parental Leave
· Maternity leave longer than 12 months
· 2 years parental leave
· Parental leave for dads more accepted
Programs
· Program to help at home for new mom (publicly and privately funded) meals and laundry
· More after school care programs
Health
· More public health nurses
· More doctors! More time to answer our questions
Wages
· Full pay for the full year (Maternity leave)
· More companies to top up wages (Maternity Leave)
