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GREENSBORO, N.C. — A new certification in our state is directing businesses to focus on the health and well-being of their employees.
Daphne Taylor is the Assistant Human Resources Director for Guilford County. As a working mother of three, she knows how challenging it can be to juggle work hours, extracurricular activities, and field trips.
“I’m a social worker who happens to work in human resources, and what I love is being able to work with staff who support our community. There’s a lot that we’ve accomplished in the social work profession that has to do with human resources in terms of the type of work we do. What’s the same is we’re helping people get the resources they need to succeed,” Taylor said. .
“Some days it’s overwhelming. I’m very committed to my job. So it’s quite a balancing act and sometimes it feels more like a juggling act than a balance. But I’m grateful for the team I have and the people I work with Support from organizational leaders,” she said.
The support Taylor received became even more important when she lost her husband unexpectedly to cancer a few years ago and became a single parent of three children.
“Instead of having two parents, our family has partners and is able to work with each other and be flexible and weigh responsibilities on certain things,” Taylor said.
Bereavement leave is not required in the United States, and under the Fair Labor Standards Act, paid time off is not required to attend a funeral. Some companies are trying to change the status quo.
Guilford County was named the first county in North Carolina to become a Families Forward North Carolina certified employer.
The certification was established by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s Families Forward program and is part of the Future Ready Greensboro initiative. The program was created in partnership with Greensboro Action, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation to increase the number of employers offering family-friendly workplace benefits to help improve the lives of everyone in the family.
In order to be certified as a Families Forward North Carolina employer, companies must provide additional benefits to their employees, such as providing accommodations for pregnant and nursing employees, helping with childcare, or providing health and wellness benefits.
“This is another way to attract people to our local community and other resources and opportunities that are available,” Taylor said.
In September 2023, the Guilford County Commission added more benefits and expanded benefits for employees. This includes bereavement leave, parental leave, more time off to help children attend school and higher tuition reimbursement.
This flexibility even allows Taylor to pick up her son from school, take him to play tennis, and be able to accompany him on field trips and other school activities.
“This benefit allows us to show up and support our young people and really support not just our kids. When I’m there, I don’t just do things that are good for my own kids. What’s relevant to them is the class Or other kids in the group,” she said.
Currently, 13 Greensboro employers are Family Forward NC certified, impacting more than 7,000 Greensboro residents.
Employers can review requirements and apply through the eligibility form on the Family Forward NC website.
“I think it’s a great opportunity, and it really reinforces the importance of our employees,” Taylor said. “Our employees matter. That’s the county’s effort behind that statement.”
By 2025, Future Ready Greensboro hopes to have at least 85,000 employees working for Family Forward NC certified employees in Greensboro.
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