Wisconsin Department of Children and Families - Division of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration

Wisconsin Shares Handbook

 

 

5.3.1.1 Activity Break Period Eligibility at Renewal

Neither an Approved Activity Search Period (ACTS) nor a Temporary Break Period (TBRK) can begin the first month of a new eligibility period.

Example 1 (ACTS: New eligibility period): Luna calls the local agency on January 4 to complete her annual renewal which is due January 31. Luna tells the agency worker that she just lost her job on January 1 and will be looking for new work. The ACTS period would usually begin February 1, the month following the change. However, because ACTS cannot start the first month of the new eligibility period, Luna does not have an approved activity for February. The agency worker updates her Approved Activity Status in CWW to “No” for February, and her Wisconsin Shares eligibility ends systematically on January 31 due to no approved activity rather than no annual renewal.

 

Example 2 (TBRK: New eligibility period): Harper calls the local agency on April 12 to complete her annual renewal that is due on April 30. Harper tells the agency worker that her employer will temporarily close beginning April 17. The TBRK period would usually begin May 1, the month following the change. However, because TBRK cannot start the first month of the new eligibility period, Harper does not have an approved activity for May. The agency worker updates her Approved Activity Status in CWW to “No” for May, and her Wisconsin Shares eligibility ends systematically on April 30.

 

There are different policies for whether an Activity Break Period can cross a renewal depending on whether the break type is ACTS or TBRK.  

These policies apply regardless of whether the annual eligibility renewal is completed early, timely, or late.

Example 3 (TRBK crossing renewal): Gabriella is in a TBRK period from September 1 – November 30, and her annual renewal date is October 31. When Gabriella calls on October 21 to complete her annual renewal, the agency worker leaves TBRK as her Approved Activity Status for November. Gabriella can remain in the TBRK period until November 30 (the end of the 3-month period) if she provides all other information necessary to complete her annual renewal.

 

Example 4 (TBRK, late renewal): Raquel is in a TBRK period from January 1 – March 31 and her annual renewal is due February 28. Raquel does not complete her annual renewal, and her Wisconsin Shares eligibility ends on February 28. On March 10, Raquel calls the local agency to complete her late renewal. Raquel’s renewal is completed with TBRK as her approved activity for March and Wisconsin Shares eligibility reopens for March. However, April and May eligibility will fail if Raquel does not have an approved activity entered in CWW for April.

 

Example 5 (TBRK beginning in renewal month): Billie calls on June 14 to complete her renewal that is due on June 30. At that time, she reports that she was temporarily laid off on May 20 but expects to return to work on July 10. Her TBRK period would be June 1 – August 31. Because the TBRK period begins the last month of her current eligibility period, the TBRK period can cross the renewal. The agency worker completes the renewal with “EMPL-Employment” as the approved activity on the Child Care Activity Status page. After all verification has been provided for the renewal and eligibility has been confirmed, the agency worker goes back to the Child Care Activity Status page to update the approved activity to TBRK and runs and confirms eligibility. The agency worker then goes to the Child Care Approved Activity Break Period page to verify that the dates of the TBRK period (June 1 – August 31) are correctly shown on that page.

 

Example 6 (ACTS beginning in renewal month): Trystan calls on February 19 to complete his February 28 renewal. He reports that he lost his job on January 25 and has not yet found a new approved activity. The ACTS period would be February 1 – April 30. Because the ACTS period begins the last month of Trystan’s current eligibility period, he is eligible for ACTS in February. However, since ACTS cannot cross renewal, he needs to be participating in a new approved activity before eligibility can open for March.   

 

If a parent’s renewal is due on the last day of the Activity Break Period, the parent must have a new approved activity or a return to the same approved activity entered in CWW for the month following the renewal date for eligibility to continue. 

 

Example 7 (Renewal due last day of ACTS period): Leonard is in an ACTS period from October 1 – December 31. Leonard’s annual renewal is also due on December 31. Leonard does not complete his annual renewal by December 31, and his Wisconsin Shares eligibility ends on December 31. On January 10, Leonard calls the local agency to complete his late renewal. Leonard must have an approved activity for January at the time that he completes his renewal on January 10 for Wisconsin Shares eligibility to reopen.

 

Activity Break Period After Completed Renewal

Agency workers must end Wisconsin Shares eligibility for lack of approved activity after a renewal has been completed if the parent later reported a permanent loss of or temporary break in approved activity that occurred during the renewal month. If the permanent loss or temporary break is reported while the parent is completing a renewal, CWW will prevent the agency worker from entering an ACTS or TBRK period for the month following the renewal. However, if the renewal has already been completed, CWW will incorrectly allow ACTS or TBRK to be entered for the month following the renewal. Agency workers must ensure that an Activity Break Period does not begin the first month of the new eligibility period if a renewal has already been completed.

If the renewal has already been completed and the change is reported after adverse action, eligibility will end on the last day of the month following the renewal month (see 11.2). To ensure benefits are not issued incorrectly, the agency worker must manually end or delete any authorizations for the month following the renewal because the parent does not have an approved activity for that month (see 17.2). This process ensures that the same policy to not allow an Activity Break Period to start the first month of the new eligibility period is applied to all parents regardless of when they complete the renewal.  

 

Example 8 (Job loss after completed renewal): Jenna calls the local agency on February 10 to complete her annual renewal, which is due February 28. She is working when she completes her renewal. She provides all verification, and her renewal is completed on February 12. On February 25, Jenna calls to report that she lost her job that day. The ACTS period would usually begin March 1, the month following the change. However, because ACTS cannot start the first month of the new eligibility period, Jenna does not have an approved activity for March. Even though she has completed her renewal, her eligibility must be ended due to lack of approved activity. When the agency worker changes the Approved Activity Status to “No” in CWW and runs eligibility, Wisconsin Shares will close March 31 due to adverse action. The agency worker must confirm the closure and delete any authorizations that were set to begin with the new eligibility period because Jenna does not have an approved activity for March.

 

This section last updated 12/1/2022