Information for Interested Employees

What should the Federal employee interested in this program do to obtain information and apply for assistance?

Federal employees interested in participating in this program should contact the individual or organization named on their agency’s announcements to get more information about the subsidy program. Employees should also obtain a copy of the final regulations and applicable tax issue information via the agency’s dependent care assistance plan (DCAP) (Appendix I). After reviewing the available materials, if employees are still interested and their child is not yet enrolled in child care, employees should identify a licensed and/or regulated child care provider of either center-based or family child care, and assure there is a space for their child before applying for the subsidy.

If Federal employees already have their child(ren) enrolled in licensed and/or regulated child care (center-based or family child care), and they wish to receive the subsidy, they should fill out the child care subsidy program application forms, submit them to the person or organization named on the agency’s form, and wait for a decision. Once they receive the decision, they must sign the agreement form and return it to the organization administering the program. See Appendices B, C, D and E for sample forms.

Employees interested in participating will be required to apply for the child subsidy program on an annual basis.

How can Federal employees obtain a copy of the regulations and identify child care services that are licensed and/or regulated?

Information about identifying child care services is included in OPM’s publication, Child Care Resources Handbook.

Employees may also wish to contact their local and/or State agencies that regulate center-based child care or family child care facilities.

The regulations are also available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-3953.pdf .

What is involved in obtaining a child care subsidy?

Employees must submit an application form and be prepared to provide copies of their recent pay stubs and/or latest IRS tax submissions. If a family receives local and/or State child care subsidies, they must indicate the source and the amount on their application. Generally, those amounts are deducted from the subsidy award.