Building Benefits that Support Working Mothers and Families

Quick look: Mothers represent a major segment of today’s workforce, but they also shoulder substantial caregiving responsibilities outside the office. For brokers and their clients, offering benefits that acknowledge these realities and show these employees that they’re valued is one of the most effective ways to recruit and retain them.

Mothers make up a large portion of the national workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2025, the labor force participation rate for mothers with children under age 18 was 73.9%, 68% for moms with children under age 6, and 78.2% for those whose youngest child was between 6 and 17.

However, at the same time, many working mothers continue to balance both professional and caregiving responsibilities. Benefits that reflect these realities can help employers create more supportive environments while reinforcing broader talent strategies.

Compliance matters too, and the regulatory landscape around family and workplace accommodations continue to evolve.

Here’s a breakdown of key offerings to have on your radar, plus how a professional employer organization (PEO) can help small and midsized business (SMB) clients manage it all.

Private nursing accommodations

Finding a secluded, comfortable space to express breast milk at work has long been a challenge for nursing mothers. The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act addressed that directly when it was passed in 2023.

The law requires employers to provide a private space (not a bathroom) where nursing employees can express breast milk, along with reasonable break time to do so, for up to one year following a child’s birth.

While some workplace protections existed before the PUMP Act, this legislation made those requirements enforceable, and maintaining a proper area protects both worksite employees and clients.

Family-forming benefits

Family-building journeys can take many forms and offering benefits that support these paths can provide much-needed assistance while helping clients strengthen their recruiting, retention, and company culture.

These programs may include support for adoption, gestational carrier support, fertility treatments, pregnancy, or other reproductive health needs. Common features often include:

• Access to benefits experts, fertility clinicians, emotional counselors, and legal guidance, as well as a dedicated care manager
• Preferred pricing at select fertility clinics and adoption and surrogacy agencies
• Personalized care plans
• Prescription ordering and at-home delivery
• Support and educational resources for every stage of growing a family

Paid parental leave

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying family and medical reasons. Though helpful following the birth of a child, several months of unpaid time can be a financial strain for many families. And as of May 2026, just 14 states and the District of Columbia have paid family leave laws.

That means that in many areas, it’s up to employers to proactively offer paid parental leave, which shows working mothers that your organization supports their families and can encourage them to stay with the company longer.

Note: Individual state and local laws may have their own paid or unpaid leave requirements. Always verify the rules applicable to your specific location.

Flexible and remote work options

The ability to adjust a schedule or work remotely can help employees better balance childcare drop-offs, doctor’s appointments, and everything in between. Even slight schedule adjustments can reduce daily friction and help employees uphold their responsibilities at work and at home.

Telemedicine

Telehealth adds convenience for all its users, especially working mothers who often manage their family’s health as well as their own. Many health insurance plans now include telemedicine coverage as a standard feature, making it relatively easy for clients to add this benefit without dramatically changing their existing plan structure.

How PEOs help your clients stay competitive and compliant

Approximately 78% of employees would switch jobs for better benefits, and replacing one can cost between 50% and 200% of their annual salary. Brokers and PEO partners can help SMB clients avoid this situation by enabling them to do more with the plans they have. Sometimes benefits require a complete revamp, but most often, a few adjustments can make a big difference.

And while designing benefits packages that genuinely support working mothers is a meaningful part of any talent management strategy, keeping up with new legislation is where many smaller organizations struggle. That’s another area where a PEO shows value. With a team of HR professionals handling risk and compliance monitoring, SMBs remain protected without having to become experts in employment law themselves.

ExtensisHR: full-service solutions with a people-first approach

Not every PEO delivers the same level of customization and care. ExtensisHR is proud to offer a mix of Fortune 500-level benefits with a boutique approach, including plans that reflect the needs of today’s workforce. Clients get access to:

• Flexible benefits options, including telehealth coverage and family-forming benefits through Carrot Fertility
• SHRM-certified HR Business Partners to help develop policies on family leave, flexible work, lactation rooms, and more
• A team of compliance experts well-versed in federal, state, and local employment laws
• An Employee Solution Center that fields worksite employees’ inquiries, solving 90% of them on the same day

When you connect clients with the right PEO partner, you help them stop worrying about compliance gaps or benefits that aren’t hitting the mark, and enable them to continue growing and building workplaces where mothers and every member of their team want to stay.