Wisconsin Department
of Children and Families - Division
of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
During the first 24 months a parent is engaged in a new self-employment business, the local agency must authorize child care for the hours the parent is engaged in self-employment and needs child care to engage in that activity. The authorization may be up to full-time (50 hours per week, including travel time) until the annual renewal following the 24th month of the new self-employment business.
After the renewal following the 24th month of new self-employment, the business is considered ongoing. At that time, the weekly authorized hours must be limited to the parent’s monthly gross self-employment earnings divided by the Wisconsin minimum wage divided by 4.3 (see 16.2.2). Foster care parents, subsidized guardians, interim caretakers, relatives with court-ordered placement receiving the Kinship Care Payment, and individuals caring for children in tribal placement homes under a substantially similar Wisconsin tribal law are not subject to the minimum wage calculation (see 16.2.3).
If the parent’s self-employment business began prior to the date he or she applied for Wisconsin Shares, the agency worker must use the actual start date of the self-employment to determine the 24-month new self-employment period. If the business started more than 24 months prior to the application date, it is an ongoing business (see 16.2.2).
| Example 1 (Self-employment prior to application): Mary Jo began self-employment on May 6, 2021, but did not apply for Wisconsin Shares until July. The agency worker entered May 2021 on the Self-Employment page in CWW as the start of the self-employment business. Mary Jo’s 24th month of self-employment is April 2023, but her annual renewal is not due until June 2023. Her authorization may remain in place until her renewal due date in June 2023. Beginning with the authorization assessment completed with her June 2023 renewal, her weekly authorization hours are limited to her monthly gross self-employment earnings divided by the Wisconsin minimum wage divided by 4.3. |
A parent may be eligible for up to a full-time authorization for a new instance of self-employment only once. If a parent starts a new self-employment business during the 24-month period, or at any time in the future, they do not receive a new 24-month period during which they are eligible for full-time authorization(s) regardless of income. The 24-month clock continues to count down even if the business closes or Wisconsin Shares eligibility ends.
| Example 2 (Initial eligibility with new self-employment): Rosa starts a business selling designer shirts. At the same time, she applies for Wisconsin Shares. Her child, Louisa, is eligible for an authorization based on Rosa’s stated child care need (up to 50 hours per week including travel time) until the annual renewal after 24 months from the business' start month. Once the business is considered ongoing, Louisa’s weekly authorized hours are limited to Rosa’s monthly gross self-employment earnings divided by Wisconsin’s minimum wage and then divided by 4.3. |
| Example 3 (Ongoing eligibility with new self-employment): Richard is employed working as a delivery driver for ABC Trucking and is receiving Wisconsin Shares for his child, Aubrey. In September, he reported that he quit his job and will now be starting his own delivery business. Aubrey is eligible for an authorization based on Richard’s stated work schedule (up to 50 hours per week, including travel time) until the annual renewal that follows the 24th month of new self-employment. |
This section last updated 12/1/2022