Governor Chris Sununu issued an executive order to authorize a policy allowing state workers to bring their children to work up to the age of six months.
Sununu says similar policies have worked in other states and that allowing it in New Hampshire could make it easier for the state to recruit and retain younger workers.
With an aging state workforce, Sununu says he doesn't expect too many current state employees to take advantage of the option of bringing an infant to work. But he thinks opening up that possibility is important.
"With the cost of childcare now, with the opportunities that folks kind of have to bring to bear, when deciding to stay in the workforce, whether to stay in a workplace, whether to go back to work, we just see this as another opportunity that we can provide a young family to be part of our team," Sununu said.
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State agencies would have to opt in to the initiative, and parents of the infant would need to have care plans approved by their agency's human resource department. And supervisors have the discretion to terminate employee participation at any time.
Right now, Arizona, Vermont, and Washington offer similar arrangements for some state workers.
