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AND TELLS US HOW THE PROGRAM WOULD WORK FOR STATE EMPLOYEES. MARLEI: AT FIRST GLANCE, YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN NOTICE THAT SHERRYL SMITH IS WORKING, WITH HER BABY. THE BRANCH SUPERVISOR FOR SCHOOLS FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION, BROUGHT BABY ZOE ON BOARD WHEN SHE WAS TWO MONTHS OLD. >> THERE IS A BABY HERE? MARLEI: A SURPRISE TO SOME CUSTOMERS. ZOE IS RIGHT THERE WITH HER MOM OPENING NEW BANK ACCOUNTS AND LOANS. >> AS PART OF THE PROGRAM SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO. YOU CAN NEVER MAKE UP FOR HAVING THEM RIGHT THERE WITH YOU TO JUST KIND OF BE ABLE TO LOOK OVER AND THEY ARE BABBLING FOR THE FIRST TIME. OR EVEN GIGGLING. SHE DID HER BABBLING AND HER GIGGLING FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE. >> YOUNG PARENTS CANNOT AFFORD CHILDCARE. MARLEI: IT’S A PROGRAM ASSEMBLYMAN RANDY VOEPEL WANTS FOR STATE WORKERS. >> IT WAS SO EFFECTIVE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND PEOPLE WERE SAVING $2000 A MONTH FOR NANNY BILLS AND EVERYTHING. I FIGURE, WHY NOT TRY IT AT THE STATE LEVEL. MARLEI THEY WERE CONCERNED OVER COSTS BUT SAID IT IS NOT A CONCERN WHICH IS WHY HE ESTABLISHED A AGE REQUIREMENT. SOME ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PRODUCTIVITY. >> I NOT THINK THE WORKER WITH THE CHILD WOULD GET AS MUCH DONE. MARLEI: THAT IS WHY IT WOULD BE UP TO MANAGERS TO APPROVE. >> IF THE BABY WAS A PROBLEM, THAT IS IT, DONE. MARLEI: SARAH SAID SHE HAD THE SAME CONCERNS. BUT LIKE HER JOB, SHE ESTABLISHED A ROUTINE. >> THAT HAS ITS ROUGH MOMENTS, WE HAVE A MELTDOWN HERE AND THERE BUT I COME BACK AND I SAY I AM SORRY THAT HAPPENED AND THEY ARE LIKE, THAT IS FINE, NO WORRIES, AND THEY ARE HAPPY TO SEE A MOM TAKING CARE OF THEIR CHILD AND MAKING THEM THEIR PRIORITY. MARL

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California state lawmakers will decide Wednesday the fate of the latest Bring Baby to Work bill, AB 372. “It’s so important for young families to bond with their infant,” said Assemblymember Randy Voepel, R-Santee, who is sponsoring the bill.The new legislation would allow state workers to bring their babies to the office if they are between 6 weeks to 6 months old or until the baby walks, whichever happens first. The Assembly’s Public Employment and Retirement Committee votes on AB 372 Wednesday morning.Infant at work programs already exist in the private sector, like at Schools Financial Credit Union in Sacramento. The financial company established its program in 2001.“When I walked in the first day I said, ‘How is this going to work?’” branch supervisor Sherryl Smith said. Smith brings her daughter Zoe with her to work. She came back to the office from maternity leave when Zoe was 9 weeks old.“I actually thought twice about it because you’re thinking, 'It might be difficult having a baby in the workplace,'” Smith said. “But, it’s an opportunity that I don’t think I’ll ever have.”Zoe is one of more than 140 babies who have participated in Schools’ program. About 20% of the caregivers who participate are fathers working for the credit union.“They grow so much in those first six months that in order for me to be a part of that as a full-time mom, the only other way is to have them at work,” Smith said. Zoe is now 4 months old and her mom said it hasn’t always been easy. “It has its rough moments,” she said. “We have a meltdown here and there, but we get through it and it’s very satisfying.”Impact on productivity concerns some parents about AB 372. “I think it’s a distraction to the workers,” said Pam Jensen. “I don’t think the worker with the child would get as much done with the child possibly being miserable.”To assuage those concerns, Voepel said it would be up to managers to approve the program for their office.“If the baby was a problem, that’s it, done,” he said.Smith said though the experience is difficult at times, she and Zoe have figured out a routine. “If I’m working with somebody, I’ll simply just say, ‘If you can just give me a second, I will be right back,’” said Smith, who uses those breaks to grab a bottle. “I come back and I say, ‘I’m really sorry that that happened. They say, ‘No, it’s fine. No worries.’ And they are happy to see a mom, I think, taking care of their child and making them their priority.”Voepel, a father of two and grandfather of four, said he is pushing for the legislation because of the cost of child care. “So many young parents can’t afford child care,” Voepel said. “It was so effective in the private sector and people were saving $2,000 a month for nanny bills and everything.”This is not the first time this type of legislation has been proposed. Voepel said critics have shut down similar legislation in the past because they were concerned about cost, like baby-proofing state offices, for example. “This has no requirement for money,” Voepel said. “You just bring your baby to work. You bring your bassinet. That’s that, piece of cake.”Voepel said not all state jobs are safe for infants. So agencies have to apply to determine if it offers a safe and healthy environment for a baby.