U.S. Office of Personnel Management Guide for Implementing Child Care Legislation

Benefits to the Agencies

What are the benefits to the agencies?

By helping Federal employees with their child care costs,

• agencies can improve recruitment and retention---they can recruit more skilled employees and they can retain valuable employees;

• agencies can save costly training expenses for new employees and save on lost productivity time to replace employees;

• agencies can save on recruitment costs;

• employees who previously could not afford licensed or regulated care should feel more comfortable with their new child care arrangements and, when parents feel secure about their child care arrangements, they have fewer distractions at work;

• agencies are supporting good job performance and improved attendance;

• agencies that have on-site child care centers with vacancies can use this authority to help them fill their own centers; and

• agencies can contribute to improved morale

Table of Contents

How should agencies proceed?

Agencies should determine the amount of funds they are willing to allocate for this purpose. They must notify their Congressional committees and OPM of their intent to spend funds from their salaries and expense accounts for this purpose. Agencies need to decide on how their programs will be structured and how they will be administered. The following questions should be helpful to agencies in establishing their programs:

1. Do agencies first need to bargain with their unions? If so, this process should begin as soon as possible.
2. How much funding will your agency make available for this purpose?
3. Will your agency restrict the use of these funds? For example, you may restrict funds to only one type of child care, either family child care homes or center-based care; or to only full-time employees?
4. How will your agency effectively market this program to your employees?
5. Who or what organization will administer this program?
6. Does your agency need to issue a statement of work in order to obtain the services of a contractor who will administer the program?
7. Who at your agency will provide oversight of the program and be responsible for reporting the results?
8. What is your agencys timeline for assisting its employees with their child care costs?
9. Which tuition assistance model will your agency use to determine the amount of tuition assistance an employee will receive?

10. How will your agency determine who qualifies as a lower income employee?