EMPLOYER AND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS
EMPLOYER PROGRAMS
Additional help with child care costs may be available through your employer. Inquire in your human resources or finance office to find out if any of the following benefits may be available:
Dependent Care Spending Account: Money is set aside from an employee’s gross salary into a nontaxable spending account to pay for child care. Neither the employer nor the employee pays taxes on the amount of salary reduced for child care. The employee is thus able to pay for child care expenses with tax free dollars.
Flexible Spending Plans: Also called a “cafeteria plan”, these programs allow employers to offer a range of benefits. Employees choose from a menu of benefits and customize their benefits package. For example, some employee may have health insurance provided by a spouse’s employer and may choose a child care benefit instead.
Child Care Vouchers or Reimbursements: An employer may offer workers a child care allowance or subsidy that families can use toward a child care arrangement of their choice.
CHILD CARE PROGRAMS
Additional assistance may be available to families in the form of
Sliding fee scale: fees for this scale are based on income standards set at the program.
Fees negotiable: program is willing to negotiate fees on an individual basis.
Scholarships: program offers its own scholarship program or will accept scholarship funds.
Multi-child discounts: program offers a fee reduction to parents with more than one child enrolled in care.
Parents are encouraged to inquire about these services at their current child care program, or call the Council at 426-7181 for referrals to programs that offer these supports.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Additional health and human services programs are available such as food stamps, temporary assistance, HEAP, and WIC. Visit myBenefits.ny.gov to learn more about the many programs available, to prescreen for the programs to see what you may be eligible for and, to apply on-line for the Food Stamp Program.