Item Number:      8e_motion 
Meeting Date:   December 10, 2019 

1                                                   MOTION 2019-15: 
2                                 A MOTION OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 
3 
4                           directing the Executive Director to develop and implement
5                           an Infants at Work pilot program as an additional benefit
6                           for eligible Port of Seattle employees and their infants and
7                           providing deadlines for implementation. 
8 
9                                                         PROPOSED 
10                                              DECEMBER 10, 2019 
11 
12                                                INTRODUCTION 
13 
14    Infants at Work programs provide new parents or legal guardians an opportunity to bring their
15    infants to the workplace for a limited period of time. The program is intended to help new
16    parents increase bonding time with their infant, maintain continuity at work, and create
17    financial stability by reducing childcare costs. This motion creates an pilot program to evaluate
18    the feasibility of a permanent program at the Port of Seattle.
19 
20    The Port of Seattle is committed to offering a comprehensive "Total Rewards" benefits package
21    for employees to help meet a range of needs at different points in their lives. These benefits
22    enhance the Port's reputation as an employer ofchoice and enable the Port to recruit and
23    retain a diverse and talented workforce with the skills and abilities to help the Port achieve its
24    mission. Accommodating infants at work, within the workspace of the parent or legal guardian,
25    provides a competitive and rewarding option for new families returning to work and a cost-
26    saving alternative to child care. 
27 
28                                             TEXT OF THE MOTION 
29 
30    The Commission hereby directs the Executive Director or a delegate as follows: 
31 
32        (1) Within 120 days, develop a plan to implement an Infants at Work pilot program to
33            include, but not be limited to, the following: 
34                a.  Analysis of coordination with the port's paid parental leave and telecommuting
35                    policies 
36                b.  Analysis of alignment with port's Equity Tool Kit 
37                c.  Conduct outreach to all port employees to provide perspectives 
38                d.  A timeline for the pilot program, including the duration, beginning and end
39                    dates, and the scope of employee groups to participate 
40                e.  A description of program eligibility requirements 

Motion 2019-15: Infants at Work Pilot Program                                                        Page 1 of 3

41                f.   A description of any workplace environment considerations 
42 
43        (2) Within 270 days, implement an Infants at Work pilot program to include, but not be
44            limited to, the following: 
45                a.  Infant at work program participant agreement 
46                b.  Waiver of liability 
47                c.  Safety and facilities guidelines 
48                d.  Policies and procedures for when an infant is disruptive 
49 
50        (3) Within one year from the exit of the fourth infant in the Infants at Work pilot program,
51            provide a summary report to the commission regarding the pilot program that includes 
52            the following: 
53                a.  Employee utilization rate 
54                b.  Alignment with existing benefits programs 
55                c.  Participant and non-participant employee feedback 
56                d.  Budgetary impact assessment 
57                e.  Recommendations for sustaining or revising the program 
58 
59                                     STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION 
60 
61    Infants at Work  programs have become an increasingly popular benefit offered by U.S.
62    employers  since  the 2008  recession. They  gained  statewide  interest  in 2015  when  the
63    Washington State Department of Health (DOH) implemented its own program. Other agencies
64    followed suit, including King County  and the City of Seattle,  which  passed a resolution
65    supporting the development of a pilot program in September 2019. 
66 
67    The benefits of infants at work have been well documented and supported by human resource
68    and medical professionals, the Surgeon General, the U.S. Department of Health, and the
69    National Association of Insurance Commissioners, who have had their own Infants at Work 
70    program since 1997. 
71 
72    The King County Women's Advisory Board 2018 report,"Supporting King County's Women,
73    Families  and  Employers:  Improving  Child  Care  Access  and  Affordability  Throughout  King
74    County," states that King County is one of the least affordable places to live and to secure
75    affordable infant child care in the United States. The report further states that in addition to
76    improving employee morale and family health, infant at work programs have been shown to
77    boost families' economic mobility by diminishing the wage gap and inequity in the workplace by
78    allowing parents to work while caring for their new child. 
79 
80    The Parenting in the Workplace Institute (PIWI) reports increased retention/lower turnover
81    costs, higher morale and productivity, and increased employee recruitment as some of the
82    benefits described by participating organizations. Examples of benefits to families include
83    increased bonding, easier breastfeeding, and lower day care costs. They also report that more

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84    than 2,100 infants in more than 200 organizations have been successfully brought to work in
85    office-based, cubicle-based, and open-plan environments. 
86 
87    PIWI has been a key resource used by Washington State and King County, as well as many other
88    agencies across the country. They have provided guidance on best practices and guidelines for
89    businesses (including nonprofit and government agencies) and parents interested in supporting
90    infants at work since 2007. 
91 
92    The Port of Seattle values its employees and their contributions to achieving the goals of the
93    organization. The development and implementation of an Infants at Work program aligns with
94    the port's Total Reward philosophy for a healthy work-life balance, innovation, and creative
95    problem solving.















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