Texas encourages employers to help with childcare needs. Here’s why.
A Texas state agency has launched an online resource to help employers support their employees’ childcare needs.
The Texas Workforce Commission announced Tuesday its new webpage of childcare resources for Texas businesses, which was required to be created under Senate Bill 1265. It’s part of a retention effort aimed at strengthening the state’s workforce while supporting Texas families, said TWC Chairman Joe Esparza.
The webpage encourages employers to survey their employees on what their needs are while providing information on childcare options they can implement firsthand such as on-site childcare, employer-childcare partnerships and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts.
“We are empowering Texas employers with the tools they need to support working families, which is a critical component of our state’s economy,” Esparza said. “This resource is a strategic investment in our workforce that helps businesses retain talent and ensures Texas remains the best state to live, work, and raise a family.”
Businesses see a return on investment on childcare benefits of up to 425%, according to research by the Boston Consulting Group. Moreover, Texas is losing out on $9.4 billion annually due to childcare obstacles, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Steve Montgomery, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, said he applauds the Texas Workforce Commission for honing in on this initiative. He noted that workforce attraction and retention is one of the biggest obstacles faced by members of the Fort Worth chamber, and childcare access is at the forefront of those conversations.
“Childcare is not just a family issue — it is a workforce and economic development issue. Helping employers connect working families with reliable child care resources strengthens employee retention, supports recruitment efforts, and contributes to long-term economic growth across Texas,” Montgomery said. “Simply put, when we invest in working families, we are also investing in stronger businesses and a stronger economy.”
The Texas Restaurant Association advocated for the passage of the bill and creation of the webpage during the 2025 legislative session. Ahead of the session, the association and several other statewide organizations formed the Employers for Childcare Task Force to push for policy reform and solutions.
“We hear consistently from local business operators that they want to help their employees access childcare, but they don’t know where to start,” said Kelsey Erickson Streufert, chief public affairs officer of the Texas Restaurant Association and co-founder of Employers for Childcare. “We are grateful for the TWC’s partnership creating the new Child Care Resources for Employers webpage, and we look forward to building on this momentum to expand working families’ access to affordable, quality childcare.”
