Relocation Services: Child Care, Elder Care, Spouse Employment Assistance and School Finding Assistance
As reported in a 2004 ERC Family Issues Survey, “Organizations seem to be more sensitive to employee family needs, trying to accommodate them, if not through formal policies, then on a case by case basis.”

Over the last half of the 20th century we saw dramatic changes in social and economic sectors in the United States and other industrialized nations. Men no longer maintain the role of primary bread winner in the economic sector, and women no longer are solely responsible for tending to family responsibilities.

As a blending of the roles between men and women continues in the work place, employees look to their employers for support with family issues.

The issues that top the list today and even show signs of increased usage are child care, elder care, spouse employment assistance and school finding assistance. And although social norms continue to evolve and change, most experts agree the need for family assistance policies and programs will continue to increase along with the development of new creative solutions.

Spouse Employment Assistance
41% of the companies surveyed offer a formal policy for spouse employment assistance.

Usually the spouse employment assistance is available without distinction to the type or level of transferee. Common forms of assistance include:

1. Payment of fees to an outside job counseling/placement agency;
2. Covering the cost of printing resumes;
3. Providing printed material regarding job search;
4. Referring spouse to job contacts at other firms.

Elder Care Assistance
18% of companies surveyed offer a formal policy for elder care assistance without distinction to the type or job level of transferee.

The number of people 65 years and older will increase from 35 million in 2003 to 70 million people by the year 2030. The most common forms of assistance include:

1. Payment to move elderly relative residing with family;
2. List of elder-care facilities/programs;
3. Written information on elder-care needs;
4. Elder-care pre tax flexible spending account.

Child Care Assistance
39% of the companies surveyed offer a formal policy for child-care assistance. 61% of working parents with children ages from birth to 6 years old utilize some form of child care assistance. The number of hours in the work week have also continued to increase over the last 25 years. Common forms of assistance include:

1. Child care pre-tax flexible spending account;
2. List of child care facilities available;
3. Written information addressing child care needs;
4. On-site child care facility.

School-Finding Assistance
27% of the companies surveyed offer a formal policy for school finding assistance, an additional 23% of the companies offer assistance on a case by case basis.

The most common forms of assistance include:

1. Covering the cost of a professional school-finding assistance;
2. School-finding information via destination service company or broker;
3. Networking transferees with previously-relocated families;
4. Lump sum specifically for school finding assistance.

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