Wisconsin Department
of Children and Families - Division
of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
The intent of the Approved Activity Search Period (ACTS) and the Temporary Break Period (TBRK) is to continue benefits at the same level following a permanent loss or temporary break in the parent’s approved activity. If the child does not have an authorization that started prior to the day the parent lost their approved activity or began an absence from their approved activity, then there are no benefits to continue at the same level. Parents may maintain eligibility even if their child does not have an authorization (see 4.8).
A new authorization can only be created or have the end date extended if:
The child had an authorization that started prior to the day the parent lost their approved activity or began an absence from their approved activity, or
The child had an authorization that ended within the 30 days prior to the day the parent lost their approved activity or began an absence from their approved activity.
The child’s authorization prior to the Activity Break Period should continue through the Activity Break Period unless:
The parent requests fewer hours,
The parent decides that they no longer need an authorization, or
The criteria in Section 17.1.1 for an authorization to be based on the assessment results are met.
Authorizations
during an Activity Break Period must be consecutive. There cannot be a
gap in authorizations during a time when benefits are being continued
at the same level. If a change creates a gap of any length between authorizations
during an Activity Break Period, the parent is not eligible for the new
authorization that would follow a gap.
| Example 1: Khloe has three (3) children: Sydney (age 2), Ja’mal (age 5), and Demarcus (age 8). Khloe has an authorization for Sydney but does not have authorizations for her school-age children. On May 9, she reports that she lost her job on May 7 and also requests authorizations for Ja’mal and Demarcus starting on May 27. Because they did not have authorizations that started prior to the day that Khloe lost her job (May 7), they are not eligible for authorizations during Khloe’s ACTS period. However, Khloe can choose to maintain Sydney’s authorization at the same number of hours until the end of her 3-month ACTS period. |
| Example 2: Rhonda has two (2) children: Roberta (age 6) and Chad (age 8). She does not have authorizations for the children during the school year, but she previously requested authorizations for June 1 – August 31 for both children. On May 8, Rhonda reports that she lost her job that day, and is placed in an ACTS period for June 1 – August 31. Because the summer authorizations did not start prior to the day that Rhonda lost her job (May 8), she is not able to keep the future authorizations. The agency worker must delete the future authorizations for both children. Rhonda may still maintain Wisconsin Shares eligibility without authorizations. |
| Example 3: Pam had a part-time authorization during the school year for her child, Tina, for February 1 – June 12 and then a full-time summer authorization for June 20 – August 31. On June 20, she reports to the local agency that she lost her job on June 15. Pam’s ACTS period will be July 1 – September 30. Tina’s full-time authorization may not be used for Pam’s ACTS period because it has not started by the date Pam lost her job. However, she may choose to maintain the hours from the part-time authorization during the ACTS period because that authorization started prior to the day that Pam lost her job. |
| Example 4: Catalina has one (1) child, Javier (age 8). Javier had an authorization from January 1 – March 22 at Rosa’s Playhouse. On April 20, Catalina reports that she started maternity leave on April 18. A TBRK period is created from May 1 – July 31. The agency worker extends Javier’s authorization to July 31 because the authorization started prior to the first day of Catalina’s maternity leave (April 18). |
Example 5: Nan has an authorization for her child, Mai, to Sparkling Stars from March 3 – June 30. She recently lost her job and was placed in an ACTS period for June 1 – August 31. On June 25, she reports that after Mai’s authorization ends on June 30, Mai will be attending a day camp through the end of summer. However, the day camp does not have a slot available for Mai until July 5. Mai is not eligible for an authorization to the day camp because there is a gap between the end of Mai’s enrollment at Sparkling Stars on June 30 and the begin date of her attendance at the day camp on July 5. If Mai’s attendance at the day camp started the day after her enrollment with Sparkling Stars ended, she would be eligible for an authorization to the day camp because there would be no gap between authorizations. |
This section last updated 10/1/2023