Wisconsin Department
of Children and Families - Division
of Early Care and Education
Bureau of Child Care Subsidy Administration
Wisconsin Shares Handbook
The following are acceptable sources of verification for approved activities:
Employment: See Section 7.9. All types of documentation that are acceptable for financial verification are acceptable to verify employment as an approved activity. Employment verification must show that the parent worked at least one day. The parent does not need to provide pay stubs for a full 30 days to verify that they have an approved activity or, for Approved Activity Search Periods (ACTS) and Temporary Break Periods (TBRK), that the parent participated in an approved activity prior to the break.
For children placed in out-of-home care whose eligibility is based on their biological or adoptive parents’ income at the time they were removed from the home (see 9.2), the caretakers’ employment verification does not need to contain income information. All other verification requirements listed in Section 7.9 must be met.
Employment with an employer who pays in cash and does not provide any source of employment verification listed in Section 7.9 is not a valid approved activity for Wisconsin Shares.
Transform Milwaukee Jobs (TMJ), Transitional Jobs (TJ), or Trial Employment Match Program (TEMP) jobs: Verified by the Employability Plan in CARES, or through pay stubs.
Apprenticeships: A copy of the signed apprenticeship contract between the applicant, employer, and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
Self-Employment: See Section 7.9.1. All sources of verification that are acceptable for financial verification are acceptable to verify self-employment as an approved activity.
HSED, GED, or High School: Enrollment letter from school. If a teen parent will remain a dependent child on their parent’s case, the local agency must collect written documentation from the education institution which identifies that the student is expected to achieve graduation or its equivalent by their 19th birthday. School schedules are not required for teen parents participating in HSED, GED, or High School.
Basic Education and Postsecondary Education: Proof of school enrollment and class schedule if classes have set log in times.
Online Education: Proof of school enrollment in basic or postsecondary education, class schedule if there are set log in times, and documentation from the school showing it is an accredited educational institution and provides credit hours for the completed course(s).
Wisconsin Works (W-2) Placements:
Participation is verified by the W-2 Employability Plan (EP). Agency workers may obtain a copy of the EP from the Electronic Case File (ECF), CSAW, request a copy from the FEP, or ask the parent for a copy.
For Case Management Follow-Up (CMF) and CMF+ placements:
If the parent is requesting child care for W-2 activities in addition to employment, then the EP and employment verification is needed.
If the parent only requires child care for employment, then only employment verification is needed.
Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Verified by the Individual Self-Sufficiency Plan (ISP). The applicant must provide a printed copy.
FoodShare Employment & Training (FSET): Verified by the FSET Employment Plan (EP). Agency workers may access the EP in CWW (Worker Tools-FSET Tool-Employment Plan), obtain a copy from the ECF, request a copy from the FSET worker, or ask the parent for a copy.
Learnfare: Verified by the Learnfare Case Management Plan. Agency workers may obtain a copy of the Learnfare Case Management Plan from the ECF, request a copy from the FEP, or ask the parent for a copy.
For verification of changes in approved activities, see Section 7.8.2.
The following are acceptable sources of verification for the approved activity exemption:
Medical Exemption: Wisconsin Shares Parent Medical Exemption form (DCF-F-5566) or documentation from a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, or psychologist that indicates the parent is both unable to work and unable to care for children (see 5.2).
7.8.1 Self-Declaration of New Employment
7.8.2 Ongoing Approved Activity Verification
This section last updated 10/1/2023