According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median hourly wage for child care workers in Vermont is just over $13 an hour. As heard in this month's Brave Little State, figuring out how to train, retain and pay child care workers is a complicated question in Vermont.
But for many parents, simply finding a spot for their child in a high-quality early education program can be a big challenge — let alone paying for it. New programs at two Vermont businesses seek to make child care more affordable and accessible to working Vermonters.
Shelley Sayward, the vice president and assistant general counsel at Casella Waste Systems, joined Vermont Edition to talk about Casella's efforts to provide more funding for child care and family leave benefits — which she says is improving workforce recruitment, increasing employee retention and productivity.
April Hayes, the early education program director at Bolton Valley Resort, also joined the program to explain how she expanded the ski resort's child care offerings into a yearlong program for staff, guests and others in the community.
Broadcast on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
More from Brave Little State — Why Are Child Care Professionals Paid So Poorly In Vermont? [Nov. 8]
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