Chip makers looking to use the nearly $40 billion in federal subsidies to increase US-based manufacturing must now provide employer-sponsored Child Care to their workforce
This week, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce announced that semiconductor manufacturers seeking to receive nearly $40 billion in new federal subsidies will need to provide access to affordable, high-quality child care for workers who build or operate new plants. TOOTRiS, the nation’s largest child care benefit service for employers, has been partnering with manufacturers nationwide to ensure their workforce has access to a comprehensive, turn-key solution.
Last July, a bipartisan group of lawmakers passed the CHIPS Act, devoting $39 billion to directly boost U.S. semiconductor factories in hopes of making the U.S. less dependent on foreign suppliers for semiconductor chips. Chips are an essential component of electronic devices used in computing, healthcare, military systems, cars, video games, phones, and numerous other applications.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told the New York Times that these new child care requirements should help companies by making it easier for them to attract and retain parents, especially women, who represent the manufacturing industry’s largest untapped pool of talent. “You will not be successful unless you find a way to attract, train, put to work and retain women, and you won’t do that without child care,” said Ms. Raimondo.” While they’re 47.5% of the U.S. workforce, less than one-third of women work in manufacturing.
Many manufacturers are already seeing the benefits of TOOTRiS employer-sponsored child care benefits which meet CHIPS Program requirements. Last year, Mazda-Toyota Manufacturing launched the benefit to attract workers and increase diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at its new, state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Alabama, prompting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to highlight these efforts and job creation as part of their Child Care Roadmap for Employers series.
Semiconductor manufacturing organizations interested in this federal subsidy can read more about the application and evaluation process here, and request their custom-tailored Child Care development plan here.
About TOOTRiS:
TOOTRiS is the nation’s largest, most comprehensive child care network with nearly 200,000 providers across the country. TOOTRiS provides a seamless child care benefits solution that meets the new CHIPS Program requirement by giving working parents direct access to the most affordable, accessible, reliable, and high-quality child care options. TOOTRiS is the first and only technology that unites key stakeholders (parents, providers, employers, government agencies) in a single platform, enabling employers to provide turn-key child care benefits in as little as 10 days to increase productivity and ROI, while their workforce has the flexibility and family support they need. For more information, go to tootris.com.
