The United Way of the Columbia-Willamette launched a new program Monday that will allow its employees to bring their newborn babies to work. The program, called the “Infant at Work” program, will permit employees who are primary caregivers to bring their babies to work; to either the age of 6 months or until they are able to crawl. This is not exclusive to mothers only; the program will allow anyone who is the legal primary custodian of the infant to bring them to work. So, fathers, grandparents, partners, etc. will be granted the same rights. While this is great news for many employees, and a progressive step towards employee wellness and work-life balance, one has to question whether this decision, if implemented in other organizations, could have an impact on insurance for non profits and the risks nonprofits face.

Many articles, such as one recently published by Forbes.com, tout the benefits of bringing baby to work; in on example an employer noted that even though babies are a clear and natural distraction for new Moms, having the baby in the office actually eases the stress of worrying about how the baby may be doing somewhere else. This employer’s motto was “as long as we could do it, it was simply the right thing to do,” despite arguments against bringing babies to work.

So, what could the disadvantages be of a program like this?

Distractions: It’s no secret that a crying baby can be distracting, not only for the guardian of the child, but also their coworkers around them.

Productivity: As a mother or legal guardian, your clients’ employees are juggling multiple jobs while at work with their child. Naturally, productivity may lag as a result, which could in turn affect the productivity of their team or other coworkers.

Professional Appearance: If your clients’ nonprofit organization is highly client-facing, allowing employees to bring their children could hurt the professional appearance of their office, and set an unintended negative image.

Risk Management/Insurance: Any nonprofit considering a similar program should consult with their lawyer, insurance agent and/or insurance carrier before implementing it.  The nonprofit needs to make sure they are adequately insured for this exposure and that they are not jeopardizing their insurance coverage altogether. It is paramount they fully understand the additional liability that is placed upon the organization by having infants on their premises.

It’s important for your nonprofit clients to understand the risks, as well as the rewards, involved with implementing such a program within their organization.  At Charity First, we understand the risks the nonprofit industry faces. We offer comprehensive Nonprofit Liability Insurance policies to ensure they are financially prepared should they be hit with a claim. Please contact us today at (800) 352-2761 to learn more about the programs we offer for the nonprofit sector and beyond.