The Christman Company recently became North Carolina’s first construction company to be a Certified Family Forward NC Employer for its offices in Raleigh and Greensboro. The designation is awarded by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation.

The Family Forward NC mission is to engage, support and promote employers of all sizes and in all sectors in adopting family-friendly policies that improve child and family health and well-being and provide direct business benefits to employees.

The Christman Company’s certification helps the initiative made by Action Greensboro to make Greensboro the first Family Forward NC Certified Community in the state.

In order to receive a certification, employers are required to offer a family-friendly workplace as well as the following policy and practice categories:

• Paid leave and wages
• Accommodations for pregnant and breastfeeding workers
• Childcare supports
• Health and wellness benefits
• And scheduling practices

“This certification is an important step for The Christman Company and for the Greensboro community. As the first construction company to receive this designation, it shows our dedication to prioritize our employee’s safety on the job, and the health and well-being of our families. Plus, we get to support healthy starts for our employees' children - that's a win-win for all of us,” said April Larkins, Project Executive at Christman Company.

Larkins continued, “Our company offers predictable scheduling; we contribute to our employees’ and their dependent's medical premiums; and we ensure that the needs of pregnant and lactating employees are met, both in an office or on a construction site. Not only does the Family Forward NC Employer Certification give us a competitive advantage, but the program gives us access to resources, tools and technical assistance so we can review our policies and identify areas for change.”