A pilot program operated by the North Dakota Health and Human Services Department could prove to be a useful tool in the ongoing effort to fill open jobs in our state — and bring relief to working parents of young children.

The ND Working Parents Child Care Relief program is "a shared investment by employers, the state of North Dakota, and working parents," according to the program's webpage. "It's a matching employer benefit pilot program."

Here's how it works:

Employers in both the public and private sectors can opt in to provide employees a paid child care benefit stipend on a per month, per child basis. The state of North Dakota provides matching funds at the $150 and $300 level.

Once an employer makes the paid child care benefit available to its employees, that employer will receive a code to share with employees, who must use it when they apply at this website. After that working parent applies, the Health and Human Services Department will verify his or her eligibility.

After that, employers will provide those eligible employees with the paid child care benefit — and upon verification, the state of North Dakota will send the matching funds directly to the parent.

"The ND Working Parents Child Care Relief pilot program aims to help you attract and retain employees — specifically parents who need child care and may be experiencing challenges due to the high cost of infant and toddler care," reads the state website. "This cost-sharing pilot program focuses on families with young children because this is when they face the greatest economic pressure and make critical decisions about how and if to join the workforce."

Click here to learn more and opt in as an employer. Or click here to learn more or opt in as a parent.