Many employers are increasingly recognizing that childcare issues are workforce issues, but the support the public sector can provide to businesses seeking to invest in it is limited, at least at the federal level.

Though there are some federal childcare policies, they’re “not nearly enough,” said Brian Gutman, director of government relations for childcare company the Learning Care Group, in a recent panel at the Society for Human Resource Management’s annual conference in Chicago. Incentives such as the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) tax credit for employer-provided childcare, which was originally enacted in 2001, are “important” but “woefully out of date,” he said.

There are some bright spots at the state level, though, where business leaders have successfully engaged legislators to enact new programs incentivizing employers to offer childcare, according to Gutman. Though he said his team has been engaging policymakers in Washington, “it is going to be far far more effective for employers to be making that same shout-out to their local elected officials,” he told HR Brew. He highlighted a few recent examples of state childcare policies that were informed by the business community, including in Florida, Texas, and Michigan.

Keep reading here.—CV

Skills-first hiring has the potential to solve core employer challenges. It can open new opportunities for qualified job seekers who are too often screened out by outdated hiring tech. It’s a topic worth exploring, which is what Indeed’s doing in their latest article.

Shifting hiring away from honing in on a person’s degree to instead spotlighting a skills-first model could unlock a new, more effective workflow. With AI’s growing capabilities in the mix, it’s possible to translate candidate skills into formats that employers can better engage with.

Indeed is digging into how AI can also help foster skills-first hiring at scale. AI offers the opportunity to analyze both job descriptions and resume data to detect key factors needed to succeed.

Check out Indeed’s full article to learn more.

As the world watches the Summer Olympic Games, we’ve been wondering about the HR equivalent of a gold medal. The consensus: Head of HR. Here’s a look at who’s recently topped the podium.

Domino’s. Maureen Pittenger was tapped in June to serve as Domino’s new EVP-CHRO, reporting to CEO Russel Weiner. She joined the company earlier this year as an EVP and succeeds Sam Jackson, who led HR operations since 2018. Before joining Domino’s, Pittenger spent more than 20 years practicing HR in the automotive industry.

Denny’s Corporation. The diner chain appointed Monigo G. Saygbay-Hallie as its new CPO in July, effective August 5. She brings to Denny’s nearly 30 years of HR experience at companies including Yum! Brands, JCPenney, Sysco, and, most recently, Checkers & Rally’s Drive-In Restaurants, where she served as CPO. Saygbay-Hallie will lead all people initiatives at Denny’s.

Mattel. Karen Ancira joined the toy company as its new EVP and CPO in May, after her predecessor, Amy Thompson, was named Gap’s new head of people. She’ll be in charge of overseeing the company’s culture and leading new DE&I programs. Ancira was previously KFC US’s CPO and spent more than a decade at Yum! Brands.

Keep reading here.—KP

Prepare for a deluge of gas, dinner, and coffee receipts for reimbursements, because it looks like corporate travel expenses may soon reach (or even exceed) pre-pandemic levels.

“By the end of 2024, US-based companies’ spend is expected to reach and perhaps surpass 2019 levels,” according to a new Deloitte report. The firm surveyed business travelers, travel managers, and budget owners in May and June, and found that corporate expenses could swell between 8% and 12% this year.

Nearly three in four (73%) travel managers said their companies’ travel spend will grow this year, and 58% expect spend will grow again in 2025. Their average growth expectations are 14%–15% for both years.

An obvious consequence of the increase in spending is that business travelers expect they’ll be on the road more often this year than in 2023.

Keep reading on CFO Brew.—AZ

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