Child Care:
Employer Assistance for Private Sector and Federal Employees
GGD-86-38: Published: Feb 11, 1986. Publicly Released: Feb 21, 1986.
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In response to congressional requests, GAO examined the on-site, consortium, vendor, and voucher care options under which the government might provide federal employees with dependent care assistance. GAO: (1) summarized costs and benefits reported by private sector employers; (2) compared and contrasted the advantages and disadvantages of the four options; (3) described the federal government's current involvement; and (4) estimated the cost of such assistance for federal employees under various assumptions, including the level of subsidy, annual per-child costs, and number of children sponsored.
GAO found that consultants to private companies stress that: (1) no option is superior in all situations; and (2) in choosing among the various available options, many issues must be considered, including a particular employer's location, business characteristics, labor force composition and needs, and workplace goals. For employer-sponsored day care centers, the literature on annual operating costs showed a range of $1,579 to $4,901 per child. Surveys of employers revealed that most employers with child care assistance programs believe that they are beneficial for: recruitment; improved morale; reduced tardiness; reduced absenteeism and turnover; community image; tax avoidance; and work force productivity. GAO found that start-up costs ranged from $7,373 to open one center for 126 children to $478,100 to open another facility for 100 children. GAO estimated the average value of agency operating support at $1,300 a year per child. The most important obstacle to child care initiatives is the lack of available funding to meet the high estimated costs. Because a voucher or vendor program would reach larger numbers of employees and their children, its total costs would be higher. The lowest estimate, based on a 10-percent subsidy level, a $2,500 annual per-child cost, and restrictive eligibility criteria that would exclude 525,000 of the estimated 700,000 preschool children, would amount to $43.8 million in overall costs to the government each year.
Jan 8, 2021
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Fair Labor Standards Act:
Tracking Additional Complaint Data Could Improve DOL's EnforcementGAO-21-13: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 8, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
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Amateur Athletes:
The U.S. Center for SafeSport's Response and Resolution Process for Reporting AbuseGAO-21-128R: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 1, 2020
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Military Child Care:
Off-Base Financial Assistance and Wait Lists for On-Base CareGAO-21-127R: Published: Dec 1, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 1, 2020.
Nov 18, 2020
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Drug Misuse:
Agencies Have Not Fully Identified How Grants That Can Support Drug Prevention Education Programs Contribute to National GoalsGAO-21-96: Published: Nov 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020. -
Federal Social Safety Net Programs:
Millions of Full-Time Workers Rely on Federal Health Care and Food Assistance ProgramsGAO-21-45: Published: Oct 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020.
Oct 1, 2020
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Child Care Facilities:
Federal Agencies Need to Enhance Monitoring and Collaboration to Help Assure Drinking Water is Safe from LeadGAO-20-597: Published: Sep 28, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 1, 2020.
Aug 21, 2020
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Federal Employees' Compensation Act:
Comparisons of Benefits in Retirement and Actions Needed to Help Injured Workers Choose Best OptionGAO-20-523: Published: Jul 23, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 21, 2020.
Aug 13, 2020
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Social Security Disability:
Information on Wait Times, Bankruptcies, and Deaths among Applicants Who Appealed Benefit DenialsGAO-20-641R: Published: Aug 13, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 13, 2020.
Aug 10, 2020
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Child Welfare and Aging Programs:
HHS Could Enhance Support for Grandparents and Other Relative CaregiversGAO-20-434: Published: Jul 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 10, 2020.
Jul 29, 2020
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Economic Adjustment Assistance:
Actions Needed to Better Address Workers' Needs and Assess Program EffectivenessGAO-20-521: Published: Jul 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 29, 2020.
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