Working Family Policies that Make Work Possible  | Bipartisan Policy Center

Why It Matters

As one-third of U.S. workers have children at home, effective family supports directly affect labor force participation, retention and long-term talent development—making them vital to economic growth and competitiveness. Employer and state-led models showcased at the panel illustrate practical pathways to expand care access and stabilize workforces.

Summary

At a Bipartisan Policy Center panel, business owners, a tech association CEO and Connecticut’s treasurer argued that family-support policies—like paid leave, workplace flexibility and employer-provided childcare—should be central to workforce reform rather than an afterthought. Hayden Palino Hensley described how his Red Rooster Coffee Roasters built a licensed on-site childcare center to retain employees and resolve a community care gap. Anna Stephanie of fam.org highlighted technology’s role in expanding care solutions, while Treasurer Eric Russell framed state investment in families as essential to long-term economic competitiveness. Panelists grounded policy proposals in personal experience, emphasizing practical, scalable models across employers and governments.

Original Description

Supporting workers and families not only enables people to enter, remain in, and advance in the labor force but is essential to both economic security and a strong, reliable workforce. A national talent strategy cannot succeed if families cannot participate in the workforce. This panel examines how innovative approaches to child care, paid leave, and tax and benefit policies can strengthen the talent pipeline and boost participation, while supporting families, employers, and local economies.

Panelists:

- Haden Polseno-Hensley | Co-Founder, Red Rooster Coffee

- Erick Russell | Treasurer, State of Connecticut

- Anna Steffeney | CEO, FamTech.org

- Abby McCloskey | Columnist, Bloomberg Opinion and Dallas Morning News; Fellow, BPC (Moderator)