Verification of Employment, School and/or Job Training Hours

You (applicant/co-applicant) must work and/or attend school/job training for a minimum of 30 hours per week to be eligible for child care assistance. Original, electronic, or copies of proof can be mailed, emailed or dropped-off in person to your CCR&R . Verifying Work Hours You must submit proof of at least four (4) weeks of employment at a minimum of 30-hours per week at initial eligibility, and 25-hours per week at redetermination. This proof must consist of four (4) weeks of paystubs, which can occur anywhere in the six (6) weeks prior to the date you submit your application or in the six (6) weeks after your application is received. In the event that additional information is required to reasonably calculate hours, you may submit additional current paystubs. If you receive business checks instead of paystubs, you may submit business checks covering the same period for paystubs, along with a CC-188 Verification of Employment form completed and submitted by your employer. In the following situations, you may have your employer complete a CC-188 Verification of Employment form and submit the form directly to the CCR&R:

Paystubs do not reflect work hours

Paystubs do not have all the required information to accurately determine gross income

New Employment and Applicant/Co-Applicant has not received paystubs yet

Family/Medical Leave and Applicant/Co-Applicant does not have current paystubs

Verifying School or Job Training Hours If you (applicant/co-applicant) are attending a school or job training program to meet the work/school/job training hours requirement, your hours can be verified by submitting an original, electronic, or a copy of a school registration document, schedule, or letter from the job training program. In the event that this documentation cannot be provided, you may submit a CC-189 Verification of School or Training form completed by a representative of the school or job training program. To meet eligibility requirements, if you are in school, you must attend a college or university as part of a two-year Associate Degree program or four-year Baccalaureate Degree program with the goal to achieve a degree or credentials to gain employment (economic independence). Online courses are allowed in the following circumstances:

Online classes are required as part of achieving related two or four year Degree; and

Limited to two online classes for full-time and one online class for part-time per semester.

NOTE: Even if your attendance at school/job training alone satisfies the hours requirement, your CCR&R is still required to inquire about your potential earned income and compare that income to the maximum allowable income limits for Child Care Assistance Program eligibility. Verifying Self-Employment Hours/Income Self-employment income is earned income, received directly from one’s own business, trade, or profession, instead of receiving a specified wage from an employer. Self-employed individuals must submit their current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Income Tax Return Transcript and IRS Schedule C (Form 1040) “Profit or Loss from Business (Sole Proprietorship)” or Schedule C-EZ (Form 1040) “Net Profit from Business (Sole Proprietorship)” to determine if the self-employment activity is acceptable. If you cannot produce a tax transcript, you will be found ineligible. To assess the merit of the purported employment, it is expected that the profit, when evaluated, be equal to or greater than the Federal minimum wage. This means that income from a new business that has yet to file taxes cannot form the basis of eligibility for Child Care Assistance Program entry. Because of extreme variations between the gross and net income for different business structures and types of services provided, the IRS Schedule C (Form 1040) or Schedule C-EZ (Form 1040) will be the only forms accepted for eligibility consideration. Verification of Unearned Income Sources of unearned income include but are not limited to Unemployment Benefits, Child Support, Alimony, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), Pensions, Retirement Benefits, Worker’s Compensation, and Work First New Jersey Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (cash assistance).