We’re celebrating the Family Forward NC® Certified Employers who have completed recertification for 2025-2026. These employers were among the first to be certified when our program began in late 2022.
With a culture of people first, these employers have shown their commitment to the health and well-being of their employees and families. It’s impressive to note that all of these organizations employ a small staff of between 20 and 25 people and they all offer paid parental leave.
Paid parental leave is separate from vacation or sick leave and is for the birth, adoption, or acceptance of foster placement of a child. This type of leave benefits employers and employees and has lasting outcomes for children. From recruitment and retention to increasing gender equality, the baby’s birth weight, and educational attainment, paid parental leave is among the most important workplace supports for parents.
Last October, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy recommendation:
“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that paid family medical leave be available to all families to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities. This will require action by a variety of professionals who are concerned about child and family well-being, including pediatricians and other health care professionals, public health officials, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal policy makers.”
The presence of parents in a baby’s early months allows for strong child-parent bonds, improved health outcomes for the baby, and parents can be responsive to their baby’s needs. This supports their child’s mental and physical development.
Our first employers to recertify:
- Investors Management Corporation in Raleigh works in several industries, including restaurants, food and beverage, health care services, and active outdoor lifestyles.
- Positive Childhood Alliance NC of Morrisville works across North Carolina to prevent child abuse by working upstream to advance policies, programs and practices that help strengthen families and promote positive childhood experiences.
“As a result of offering family friendly benefits, we have a team of people who know that the organization values them as people with real lives, that we will work with them to manage big life events, and that we walk the talk as we promote these policies that support family and child well-being across NC.”
- Children and Family Resource Center of Hendersonville offers programs on early childhood development and education, including quality child care, parenting and family support. The organization is also a referral source for families in need of community services.
“Being able to alleviate financial pressures by offering paid parental leave has helped with staff retention as well as allowed babies to get their parents full attention in the most critical early days.”
Congratulations and thank you for leading the way in creating family friendly workplaces!