The Office of Personnel Management said Monday it will offer qualified employees reduced child care costs under a new law that allows federal agencies to help employees pay for child care tuition.
Under the law, agencies may use appropriated funds to help lower-income employees cover the costs of child care in licensed child care centers.
"I know good quality child care can be prohibitively expensive, so we want to do everything we can to reduce the costs and bring OPM employees the peace of mind that comes with knowing their children are safe and in good hands," said OPM Director Janice R. Lachance.
According to OPM, the agency is the first to implement the program retroactively. The program is effective as of March 20.
OPM negotiated the child care program with the American Federation of Government Employees local that represents its employees. The National Treasury Employees Union has negotiated similar child care subsidy agreements with agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services and with the IRS.
To qualify at OPM, full-time employees must not exceed a $47,000 cap on total family income and must have a child under age 13 (age 18 if the child is disabled) who is enrolled in family child care or a child care center that is licensed by state or local authorities.
Additional information about the final regulations and a guide to implementing them is available at www.opm.gov.
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