Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Access to Child
Care. Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) participants, including former recipients
and families redirected from receipt of TCA through up-front diversion who are
applying for transitional child care, may access subsidized child care
assistance through referral to the Florida Community Coordinated Care for
Children (4C-agency). The Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) designee
will inform participants of the availability of child care assistance and will
make the necessary referrals to the 4C-agency. Child care assistance is
provided to TCA participants solely for assistance in complying with TCA work
activities and for transitional child care.
(2) Conditions of Eligibility.
(a) Temporary cash assistance recipients may
receive subsidized child care assistance when it is necessary for them to
participate in TCA work or training activities allowed by federal regulation
and approved by the LWDB designees. Child care to maintain employment will be
provided for the hours of employment and reasonable time for travel to and from
the child care facility and place of employment and return. The need for child
care and condition of need will be verified by LWDB designee.
(b) In order for a child care subsidy to be
provided, the participant must need care for the child and have an obligation
to pay for child care.
(c) The
child for whom care is provided must be within the specified degree of
relationship for receipt of temporary cash assistance and included in the TCA
assistance group. This, however, includes a child who would be in the TCA
assistance group except for the receipt of Supplemental Security
Income.
(d) Child care disregards
will not be allowed in the determination of eligibility for temporary cash
assistance.
(3)
Transitional Child Care.
(a) Transitional
child care is defined as child care for families whose income does not exceed
200 percent of the federal poverty level and:
1. Whose TCA has ceased due to new or
increased employment hours or earnings or due to increased child support or who
opt not to receive TCA, or
2. Who
have been redirected from receipt of TCA through up-front
diversion.
(b) Child care
must be needed to accept, maintain, or actively seek employment and to upgrade
skills in accordance with Section
445.030(2),
F.S.
(c) If an individual applies
after the beginning of the transitional child care benefit period and needs
reimbursement or payment for child care that has already been obligated for or
paid during the transitional child care benefit period, the individual will be
referred to the 4-C.
(4)
Good Cause.
(a) Individuals who lose their
job rather than quit their job or who have good cause for quitting their job,
if eligible for subsidized child care on all other factors, may continue to
receive subsidized child care while they look for other employment. The maximum
period of this extension is 30 days. The subsidized child care assistance will
be provided only for actual job search.
(b) Examples of good cause reasons are:
1. Position ends, job lay-off or business
closure,
2. Job requirements are
illegal or against the moral or religious beliefs of the parent,
3. Working conditions or job duties could be
harmful to the physical or mental health of the parent,
4. Sexual or racial discrimination or
harassment on the job,
5. Change in
job requirements for which the parent is not qualified,
6. Change in hours or location of employment
that is not feasible due to child care or transportation arrangements,
or
7. Family or health problems of
the parent or child(ren) requiring an extensive period of time off, which the
parent is unable to arrange with the employer.
(5) Recipient Notification. The recipient
will be informed as to availability of and qualifications for child care
services by LWDB or their contracted providers, or the 4-C
agency.
Rulemaking Authority
414.45 FS. Law Implemented
414.095(1)
FS.
New 3-5-95, Formerly 10C-1.519, Amended 8-18-97, 3-12-00,
Formerly 65A-1.519, Amended 5-1-01,
2-2-20.
