As a part of Transformative Direction 4: OneDU, the Human Resources and Inclusive Community (HRIC) team has been hard at work implementing various aspects of the strategic plan, including identifying and using best practices to become an exemplary employer. One aspect of their strategic priorities is the Equity into Action- Modernizing the Return to Work Experience, and Solutions For Family Care initiative, which comprises several projects all aimed at making DU an equitable and great place to work within our community.
Evidence supports the concerns that both child and elder care have the potential to interrupt women’s career growth due to the fact that family care responsibilities result in barriers for women in the workforce. DU is finding ways to ease that transition on DU’s new parents and nursing moms this past year, as well as provide support for elder care. To that end, much progress has been made based on feedback and conversations on-campus as well as industry best practices:
- DU IMPACT 2025 funded a pilot program for back-up care, which includes discounts for daycare. Back-up care is emergency and/or planned care for your loved ones when you need to be at work. It’s both center-based and at-home care that services both children and adult elders. After approval of funding, HRIC met with the Women’s Coalition to discuss potential vendors for back-up care and they are now in the process of working with a vendor to secure a plan for DU.
- With the new DU Nursing Moms Task Force, HRIC is making tremendous headway with lactation support:
- Working with the Office of the Architect, the team identified and did a preliminary assessment of the current state of lactation rooms around campus;
- Working with Marketing and Communications to develop an interactive map of lactation spaces;
- Receiving feedback from nursing moms on how to improve lactation experience;
- Providing fridges for nursing moms to have at their desk or office to store breast milk. Nursing moms can check out fridges by emailing well@du.edu;
- Offering Milk Stork resource to help traveling mom’s maintain their commitment to breastfeeding by providing them with everything they need to ship breast milk home quickly and safely.
- The New Parent Experience program is available to all DU employees. Employees receive a package which includes a DU diaper bag, onesie, and information to support the employee in their transition back to work after their leave. In addition, managers will receive a check-list to help guide both employee and supervisor through the process.
For questions, please contact: well@du.edu
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