BATON ROUGE — A Louisiana tax credit program is giving businesses a way to help employees with childcare costs, and some business owners say they were surprised to learn it exists.

Caryl Ewing, who runs a truck stop with her husband, said childcare pressures can quickly affect how a business operates. When she found out about the tax incentive, her reaction was immediate.

"It just blew my mind that this was something that was available and if I were to talk to another business I would tell them this is 100 percent true," Ewing said.

The program is part of Louisiana's School Readiness Tax Credits. It allows qualifying businesses to get a refundable tax credit when they support childcare, including payments to approved childcare centers for employees or their children.

Libbie Sonnier, CEO of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, said the business connection to childcare matters because breakdowns cost the state $1.3 billion each year.

"Louisiana loses $1.3 billion annually due to economic breakdowns because of childcare breakdown," Sonnier said.

Sonnier also said quality matters, not just access. "Access without quality, isn't access," Sonnier said.

The percentage a business can claim depends on the quality rating of the childcare center.

Ewing is now encouraging other employers to learn more about the program and reach out to their local childcare resource and referral agency.

More details about the tax credit are available in this fact sheet.