FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How Can I Get Help with Summer Employment?

Summer employment assistance requires year round participation in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program. For more information about WIA services for youth, please click here.

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How Do I Submit Changes to My Previously Submitted Provider Information?

All changes must be submitted in writing by fax, mail or email.

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As a Child Care Provider, Am I an Employee of Workforce Solutions Capital Area?

No. You are an independent contractor and not an agent or employee of WFS Capital Area. You are fully responsible for the payment of all federal, state and local taxes. We will provide you with IRS form 1099 at the end of each year.

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How Do I Get Answers to Questions About Problems I Have with the Point of Service (POS) Machines?

You may call the provider help desk with questions about the POS machine not working properly at (866) 320-8720. Or you may call WFS Capital Area at 512.597.7191.

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How Do I Know If the Parents Are Properly Recording Their Children’s Attendance Each Day Using the Swipe Card?

Log in to the CCAA website. Choose “Attendance” on the portal and view all of the children’s authorized enrollment and whether the parent made an entry for each child for each day. On the attendance screen, a red square with a Z indicates that the parent has not reported that child either present or absent for that day. Z’s are counted as absence. Although you will be paid for those Z days, child care will be terminated once the child accumulates 30 absences within their anniversary year. You will want to have the parents go back for any days skipped (up to 6 days) that are showing a red “Z” on the portal and do a previous check in or check out if present to avoid being dropped. For extenuating circumstances, you may be required to report what days children are present or absent in order for the child to be credited those absences. Workforce Solutions will request this information when necessary.

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Can I Use the Parent’s Swipe Card to Report the Child’s Attendance or Absences?

No, a parent is not allowed to give their swipe card to anyone else to use, including the child care provider or their employees. The director or owner of a child care center cannot be a secondary card holder.

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How Do I Receive Payment?

Providers will have the reimbursement payment directly deposited into a specified checking or savings account. A direct deposit form must be completed and returned with a voided check. If you have a change of address, you must notify us in writing of the change. Also, you must notify us if you change banks to complete the necessary forms.

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I Have Just Been Chosen as a Child Care Provider. When Do I Get Paid?

Payment is made after services have been provided. Attendance information is recorded in the Child Care Attendance Automation (CCAA) system and imported to the Child Care Services billing system. Once the information is imported and processed, you should receive payment within three weeks. Please do not call to ask about payment until three weeks have passed. You may call 512.597.7191 if you have questions.

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I Have Become a Regulated Provider, But I Am Not Getting Children Referred to My Center. Why?

WFS Capital Area cannot guarantee that any children will be referred to your program. Children are referred to child care providers based solely on parent choice.

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How Do I Become a Regulated Provider?

Children are referred to providers based solely on the parent’s choice. If you are not currently set up as a provider in the child care program, we will send you a Declaration of Service Statement to complete and return. You must submit a copy of your license with your packet.

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What Are the Consequences of Not Reporting All of My Income or Not Reporting Changes in My Income and Employment or Training Participation Within 10 Days?

At re-certification, income is verified based on your employer’s reported income for unemployment insurance. If the information reveals unreported income that would have made you ineligible for the program, your child care assistance will be terminated, and you will be required to pay back all of the money paid to your provider. If unreported income would have resulted in your owing more for your parent share of cost, you will be required to pay back the difference. To be eligible for continued child care assistance, you must be participating in work or training a minimum of 25 hours per week for a one parent family or 50 hours per week for a two parent family. You must call to report when you are not working, have dropped out of school, or are not participating 25 hours per week for a one parent family or 50 hours per week for a two parent family. The receipt of services for which you are no longer eligible constitutes grounds on which to suspect fraud, and it may result in criminal prosecution.

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How Long Does My Eligibility for Child Care Continue?

You remain eligible as long as the information given at the time of enrollment remains current. If the situation changes and you are not working or attending school the required 25 hours per week for a one parent family or 50 hours per week for a two parent family, you will not be eligible. You can receive a grace period of four weeks to find a new job or to increase your hours, but you must contact a child care representative to request one. You are allowed a maximum of 4 weeks per year (October – September) for job searching. If you begin to receive additional income from a raise, bonus, overtime, or other income such as child support, you must report those changes within 10 days for your eligibility in the program to be re-determined. If there are no changes, you will be sent a notice when it is time to re-evaluate your eligibility. Eligibility must be determined every twelve months or more often if needed.

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What Income Do I Report When Applying or Re-certifying for Child Care?

You should report the gross monthly income before deductions for all working family members. Wages or salaries, commissions, tips, piece-rate payment and cash bonuses earned must be reported. Overtime pay is estimated based on the person’s history of receiving this pay. If you have more than one job, make sure to report gross income from each of your employers. Other income that must be reported includes child support, public assistance payments, SSI, unemployment and worker’s compensation, disability payments, lottery winnings, and social security. Ask a child care representative about any regular income you receive to see if it must be included in your gross monthly income.

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What Is the Parent Responsibility Agreement?

The Texas Workforce Commission requires a parent to provide written documentation of the following:

  • The parent is cooperating with the Attorney General’s office for each child in the family to establish paternity,
  • The parent is receiving child support; and if not, they are cooperating with the Attorney General’s office to seek child support,
  • Each child in the family ages 6 -18 years old is attending school regularly,
  • The parent must assure that she/he has not used, sold or possessed any controlled substance.
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Why Must I Pay My Parent Share of Cost When My Child Is Absent?

This assures that the provider will reserve a place for your child while he/she is absent. Children are only allowed 30 days of absences during their anniversary year. If you do not report your child’s attendance with your swipe card your child will be counted absent for those non-reported days.

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How Is Attendance Tracked and Payments to the Provider Handled?

All clients receiving child care assistance through WFS Capital Area will use a “swipe card” to report attendance when the children are dropped off or picked up at the child care provider’s location.

Parents with children enrolled at a licensed child care center will swipe their card through a Point of Service (POS) machine. Parents will also report absences using the POS machine or calling in the absence from any phone to the toll free number on the back of the swipe card.

Parents with children enrolled in a licensed or registered child care home or with a relative provider will use the provider’s phone to call the toll-free number on the back of the card and follow the prompts to report the children’s attendance and absences.

The provider will be paid based on the information recorded by the parent using Child Care Attendance Automation (CCAA). If you do not check your children in using your swipe card, those days will count against the total number of absences allowed within a 12-month period. WFS Capital Area will pay the child care provider each month for your child’s care. You will be required to pay a portion of your child care cost, called a parent share of cost, to the child care provider.

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How Long Will It Take to Begin the Child Care Program?

As long as there is no waiting list in place, you may begin the program after all required documentation has been received and you are determined to be eligible for the program. Once you have returned your eligibility packet and documentation, call 512.597.7191 to speak with a child care representative to enroll in the program.

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Is There a Waitlist for the Child Care Program?

It is possible that a wait list may be necessary when maximum enrollment in the program is reached. You may call 512.597.7191 to find out whether a wait list is currently in place.

If there is a waiting list, children will be placed from the waiting list as space becomes available.

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Do You Offer Additional Services?

Yes. WFS Capital Area offers employers the information you may need to make critical decisions for your business, including Labor Market Information and Tax Credit Consulting. For more information on these services, please click here.

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Do You Offer Layoff Assistance?

Yes. If you are an employer facing layoffs and company closures, WFS Capital Area can offer you and your employees’ transition and re-employment services at no cost. For more information on these services, please click here.

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Who Can I Contact For Unemployment Insurance Information?

The Texas Workforce Commission handles all Unemployment Insurance claims through statewide Tele-Centers. You may contact them by phone at 800-939-6631 or visit their website at http://www.texasworkforce.org.

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Can You Help Me Train Employees?

Yes. WFS Capital Area can help you secure funds for employee training. Available programs include: On-the-Job Training, Subsidized Employment / Work Experience, the Skills Development Fund, Skills for Small Business, and the Self-Sufficiency Fund. For more information on what program might be the best fit for your organization, please click here.

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Can You Help Me Find Qualified Candidates?

Yes. WFS Capital Area Business Solutions can assist with your hiring needs. We provide free job postings, recruiting, screening and the referral of job seekers (including veterans) to open positions through WorkInTexas (WIT). We also provide hiring events and interview rooms to assist in applicant selection.

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I’ve Just Moved to Texas, Can I Attend Classes and Use the Computers at the Career Centers?

Yes.  If you are new to the region. You are welcome to attend workshops and to utilize the computers and resources at our Career Centers.

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What If I Do Not Live in Travis County?

If you reside outside of Travis County, you are still welcome to visit and utilize our three Career Centers.  However, if you desire to enroll in a specific program, our team will be happy to refer you to the closest career center in your region.

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Can You Help Explain Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Requirements?

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) handles all Unemployment Insurance (UI) matters. However, if you need assistance while at one of our Career Centers, please ask one of the Career Center staff. We will be glad to advise you. For more information about UI, please click here.

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Do You Work with Veterans?

Yes. All of our Career Centers have career specialists specifically trained to help veterans achieve maximum employment and training opportunities. Veterans receive priority in job and training referrals and our North Career Center features the Veterans Resource Center (VRC). For more information about veterans’ services, please click here.

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Do You Offer Services for Individuals with Disabilities?

Yes. All of WFS Capital Area’s services and programs are open to people with or without disabilities on a self-serve basis. For more information, please click here.

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What Do I Do If I’ve Been Laid-Off?

If you’ve lost your job due to a layoff or business closure, you may be eligible to receive no-cost services to help you return to work through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program. For more information, please click here.

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What Training Programs Can You Help Pay For?

WFS Capital Area provides funding for training in occupations with good earnings potential and in growing industries in Travis County – such as auto mechanics, computer support specialists and nurses. For a complete list of the occupations for which training is available, please click here.

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Do You Offer Job Skills Training?

WFS Capital Area offers job skills training for eligible individuals through a number of programs and initiatives. For more information about these programs, please click here.

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Where Can I Go to Get Help Finding a Job?

WFS Capital Area has three convenient locations in the Austin area. For maps and directions, please click here.

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Can You Help Me Find a Job?

WFS Capital Area is your go-to source for job search assistance and employment-related services in Travis County. We can help you find a job, build your resume and prepare for interviews, earn a GED, or receive job training. To get started, please click here or visit one of our Career Centers.

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I Can’t Login into WorkinTexas (WIT). Help!

WorkInTexas (WIT) is a free, online, job resource tool brought to you by WFS Capital Area and the Texas Workforce Commission. If you’ve forgotten your password, we will be happy to help you reset it. Please send us a request through our Contact Us form.

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