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Section 1. Types of Dependent Care Programs a. Dependent care assistance may include, but is not limited to, the following: 1. Child care and elder care referral services; 2. Seminars, workshops, and exhibitions; 3. Periodic newsletters and brochures; 4. Family resource centers; 5. Consultants to assist employees with dependent care problems; and 6. DOL cooperation with other Agencies regarding Dependent Care Programs, including Infant and Child Care Centers. 7. Employees are encouraged to take advantage of Dependent Care Programs. New employees should be informed about the availability of Dependent Care Programs during orientation. Section 2. Local 12 Involvement The Department will keep Local 12 advised of the status of Departmental Dependent Care Programs. Local 12 will be afforded the opportunity to provide input on the operation of the Department's Dependent Care Programs and to participate in task groups or committees involved in developing and formulating such programs as appropriate.
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Article 7 Dependent Care Programs |
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Article 8 Day Care |
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Article 9 Child Care Subsidy |
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Section 1. Provision of Child Care Facility The parties agree that the Department shall provide and maintain a child care facility, including space, office equipment, playground equipment, supplies, telephones, and maintenance services for the maximum number of children within the space currently used. All such equipment and services shall be for the duration of this Agreement. Section 2. Management of Child Care Facility The parties agree that the management of the facility shall be undertaken by the Department of Labor Child Development Center for the life of this Agreement. Each party shall designate one (1) representative to serve on the Board of Directors of the Center. Section 3. Priority on Admission The facility is dedicated to serve the needs of the employees of the U.S. Department of Labor. Priority on admission shall be given to children of DOL employees. Children whose parents are not employees of the Department may be admitted only when no employee of the Department has applied for his/her child and is waiting for an appropriate vacancy. Section 4. Administrative Leave to Attend Meetings Each member of any governing body of the Center shall be allowed up to two (2) hours per month of administrative leave to attend meetings and conduct business of that body and up to an additional two (2) hours for those governing body members in the positions of President, Vice President, and Contract Administrator or the equivalent if their title changes. Each parent shall be allowed up to two (2) hours of administrative leave per month to attend meetings of the Center. Section 5. Reopening Negotiations If the use of appropriated funds is authorized by any source which could affect the operation (scope or activities) of the DOL Child Development Center, negotiations on this Article may be reopened at the request of either party. Section 6. Funds from Recycling Program a. The Department will continue to donate 100% of the funds generated by the DOL recycling program in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area to the DOL Child Development Center. The Department will earmark those funds for tuition assistance for DOL employees at the grade level GS-6 and below, with priority to be given to those employees at the GS-3 and below, who have children in the DOL Child Development Center.
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The parties agree that the Department will maintain a Child Care Subsidy Program available to bargaining unit employees as follows: a. The Department of Labor Child Care Subsidy Program, in accordance with Public Law 107-67, is intended to foster a quality work place for employees through the use of licensed child care by subsidizing costs for lower family income employees while at the same time improving recruitment efforts, improving retention, reducing absenteeism, and improving morale. The Program will provide assistance to lower income working families in their efforts to obtain quality, licensed day care for dependent children through age 13 and disabled children through age 18. Qualified participants must be utilizing licensed child care, meet income level definitions, and maintain a full-time or part-time permanent position status. b. This agreement is made pursuant to the government-wide regulations of the Office of Personnel Management. Appropriated funds, otherwise available for salaries, will be utilized to fund the program. The subsidy payment plan is as follows:
c. Any annual subsidy received in excess of $5,000 ($2,500 in the case of a separate return by a married individual) must be included as part of gross income for tax purposes, in accordance with 26 USC 129. The Department may reduce or suspend the child care subsidy for all bargaining unit employees when it deems funding to be insufficient. |
