11.3.3.1 Child Care Availability

A single parent placed in a W-2 Employment Position Community Service Job, Trial Employment Match Program, and W-2 Transition cannot be sanctioned for nonparticipation in any W-2 activities during a period of time when they are unable to obtain child care for a child under the age of 13.

If child care is only available to the participant during specific hours of the day or days of the week, the W-2 agency must make every effort to assign work activities during those hours.

A participant who needs to secure child care arrangements in order to participate in W-2 activities should be assigned the task of securing child care as part of their participation requirements on their Employability Plan (EP).

The W-2 activity code associated with this activity is Child Care Related Activities (CC). See W-2 Activity Code Appendix .

The participant should initially be assigned the CC activity for no less than five working days and no more than ten working days to communicate the importance of obtaining child care. If the participant is not successful in obtaining needed child care by the end date of the CC activity, the worker must review the individual’s circumstances to determine if the participant has demonstrated an inability to obtain child care. (See 11.3.3.1.2 )

If the participant has demonstrated an inability to obtain child care, the worker must grant good cause for all nonparticipation, until:

Child care is obtained; or

The participant no longer demonstrates an inability to obtain child care.

Until child care is obtained (whether good cause is being granted or not):

The CC activity must remain assigned on the EP Employability Plan ;

The worker must continue regular check-ins; and

The participant must continue to pursue any possible available child care leads.

EXAMPLE : Jackie applied for W-2 and was placed in a CSJ Community Service Job . Her FEP Financial and Employment Planner develops the EP with Jackie and assigns Child Care Related Activities (CC) as well as 10 hours per week of GED classes and 10 hours of structured job search.

Jackie’s FEP gives her five working days to find child care and connects Jackie to the local Child Care Resource and Referral Network (CCRR) A network of Child Care and Referral agencies which can assist parents in locating a child care provider and discuss what to look for when selecting a provider, i.e. smoke alarms, emergency exits, etc. For a list of local CCRR agencies, contact the CCRR Network at (920) 734-1739. .

After five working days, Jackie meets with her FEP to discuss her progress and explains that she has not secured child care and did not follow up with the referrals she received from CCRR.

Jackie’s FEP calls the CCRR with Jackie and verifies that child care slots are still available in a licensed child care facility, within a reasonable distance from Jackie’s home, and that there is no documentation that the facility would be harmful to the health or safety of her children.

The FEP informs Jackie that because she cannot demonstrate an inability to obtain child care, she is no longer eligible for good cause due to lack of child care and that any future missed activities will result in a payment reduction for the hours missed.

The FEP encourages Jackie to secure child care as quickly as possible so that she can participate in these assigned activities.