A report released on Tuesday outlines the reality of how childcare issues impact working parents, and Michigan's economy at large. The 52-page MI Untapped Potential report breaks down how much money is left on the table each year because parents are having to make difficult decisions about their career, and their children.
Representatives from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce gathered at the Grand Rapids Chamber on Tuesday to announce what the report found.
Utah-based data consulting firm Cicero put it together by surveying 501 parents, all with children under the age of six.
You can read the full report online HERE.
The report found that childcare issues account for an estimated $2.88 billion loss every year for Michigan's economy.
About $576 million is due to lost tax revenue, while $2.3 billion is due to childcare-related employee turnover and absenteeism.
Of the parents surveyed, 63% missed work or school at least one time in the previous three months due to problems with childcare.
14% of parents had to completely leave a job in the previous six months due to childcare issues.
While there are potential legislative solutions that are being looked at to assist parents, they are also hoping to expand programs like MI Tri-Share.
The Tri-Share program splits the cost of childcare for qualified parents three ways— they pay part, their employer pays part, and the state of Michigan pays another part.
"You hear families all the time across the state making that kitchen table decision on if a parent is going to return the workforce or not, after having a child or two children, and it just isn't cost effective to make the decision," Marcus Keech, director of government affairs at the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, said on Tuesday. "It's not that they don't want to be in the workforce."
