Bring your child to work day will be every day for state employees in New Hampshire starting January first.
Governor Chris Sununu signed an executive order this week allowing state workers to bring their babies to the office until they’re six months old.
Some people feel like the office is no place for a newborn, while others think allowing parents to be with their babies as long as possible - is best.
“I think it’s really great,” said State Senator Jon Morgan.
He and his wife have been through the infant stage three times.
“It’s a busy household, lots of fun every morning,” he said laughing.
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He says an open-door policy on parenting at work is beneficial for everyone.
“I actually take my kids to work with me frequently and we have a blast doing it,” Sen. Morgan said.
The democrat is applauding republican Governor Chris Sununu for signing an executive order allowing state workers to bring their babies to the office.
“If you have a child between six weeks old and six months old, it applies to everybody,” Governor Sununu said.
With an aging workforce in the Granite State, Sununu is hopeful this will be an incentive for young families to move to New Hampshire and stay here.
“It’s all about providing flexibility, young families want flexibility, they want to know they’re not in it alone,” he said. “It’s a new idea, we tend to push the envelope a little bit here in New Hampshire.”
And while the feedback has been mostly positive, some state lawmakers are skeptical.
“I do have some concerns,” said Senator Cindy Rosenwald, a democrat from Brentwood.
She’s worried about the impact on productivity and the wellbeing of the child.
“Well, why is a workplace a good, healthy environment for an infant,” she asked. “I mean, look around here.”
Governor Sununu admits this is not going to work for all state agencies.
He joked, saying, “We certainly aren’t going to have infants in snow plows or state police cruisers.”
That’s why it is up to each agency to opt in to the initiative and then the parents would need specific approval from their HR director.
Sununu said over 20 state departments and agencies have chosen to participate so far. Click here to see a list of agencies that have opted in to the "Infants in the Workplace" program.
