SUPPORT EMPLOYEES WITH
CHILD CARE NEEDS
SUPPORT EMPLOYEES WITH CHILD CARE NEEDS
Employers know one of the greatest barriers for people pursuing—or keeping—a great job is the cost of child care. As the labor market in our region continues to be competitive, employers who invest in resources to remove this barrier have an advantage and experience significant ROI. And thanks to years of policy updates and new programs, there are more resources than ever to help businesses build a tailored solution that fits their needs.
Split the Cost via the MI Tri-Share Program
Employers know one of the greatest barriers for people pursuing—or keeping—a great job is the cost of child care.
MI Tri-Share solves this by splitting the cost of licensed child care equally three ways between the employer, the employee, and the State of Michigan. Employers can fully customize this tool to fit their budget and parameters. For example, if you’re struggling to fill roles in a particular department, you can limit your Tri-Share investment to just those employees. Tri-Share in our region is administered by the Marquette Alger Regional Education Services Agency (RESA). They can talk you through the details and help register you for the program. Connect with them via the link below.
RCCC: Interest in providing onsite childcare?
Some employers are finding the solution is to bring child care in-house via employer-provided child care. This option gives you direct control over the service, including who is providing care and who accesses it. Onsite centers that service only employees of the provider have special regulations to consider.
Interested in considering this route? Contact the Coalition to start the conversation.
Partner with a Provider
Perhaps you want to get directly involved in ensuring care and early childhood education is available to your employees but don’t want to add another business line to your already full plate or can’t have it onsite. We get that. It is becoming more common for businesses to invest in a local child care provider to hold slots for their employees or even to become an equity partner in getting a new provider up and running. These require agreements to be in place and are often based on local relationships. Interested in this path but unsure where to start? Reach out to our coalition lead to start the conversation – we bet we know a provider open to talking.
Federal Tax Credit 45F
Employers who help cover child care for their team may qualify for a federal tax credit — and it’s one of the most direct ways to offset the cost of supporting working parents. The credit was significantly expanded for 2026 – up to 50% or $600,000 for small businesses. This applies whether you partner with a licensed daycare, contract a backup-care agency, or offer in-home nanny services as a benefit. You don’t need to run your own child care center to qualify; many businesses outsource the care and still claim the credit.
Search this website for more information