Does anyone have knowledge of the CARES act, for childcare, and how it impacts homeschool families?

[Drama Llama]

Thanks, I got the info I needed and I am going to delete some of my posts to protect our confidentiality.

Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Drama Llama]

I'm hoping somebody sees this, so I'm bringing this up top. 

[Tap]

I don't know anything personally, I just Googled and saw this.  Are you registered as a private school in your state, or only as a homeschool? I doubt there will be much funding allocated for private homeschools, since most homeschool families aren't impacted by COVID like public schools. Even most extracurriculars are cancelled for public schools here, so it isn't like the public school students are getting opportunities that homeschools are not. 

 

On a personal note, I often avoided anything government funded in regards to my homeschool. I didn't want the strings attached. 

[Drama Llama]

10 minutes ago, Tap said:

I don't know anything personally, I just Googled and saw this.  Are you registered as a private school in your state, or only as a homeschool? I doubt there will be much funding allocated for private homeschools, since most homeschool families aren't impacted by COVID like public schools. Even most extracurriculars are cancelled for public schools here, so it isn't like the public school students are getting opportunities that homeschools are not. 

 

On a personal note, I often avoided anything government funded in regards to my homeschool. I didn't want the strings attached. 

I’m not looking at that part of CARES.  I’m looking at the part that guarantees you leave for childcare if your school is closed due to the pandemic. 

I don’t really want to go into details, but the reason my kids can no longer be homeschooled or stay alone while I work is not covid related.  Ordinarily I guess I could just put them in public school so they’d have a safe place to be, but our public school is closed too.  So I am wondering if I can get CARES act leave. 

[Tap]

1 minute ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I’m not looking at that part of CARES.  I’m looking at the part that guarantees you leave for childcare if your school is closed due to the pandemic. 

I don’t really want to go into details, but the reason my kids can no longer be homeschooled or stay alone while I work is not covid related.  Ordinarily I guess I could just put them in public school so they’d have a safe place to be, but our public school is closed too.  So I am wondering if I can get CARES act leave. 

I was off for 12 weeks unpaid from my full time job due to school closure. I read a lot about Cares Act. There are a lot of specific clauses that seem fairly simple, but that actually make broad swaths of people not eligible. One is that it is specific to COVID-19. If your situation is not COVID-19 related, I don't think you would qualify. You may be able to manipulate the system, but it is intended for COVID-19 related closures/complications. 

Quote from Act 

Under the FFCRA, an employee qualifies for expanded family leave if the employee is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19.

 

[Tap]

Have you looked in to FMLA and if it would cover your situation? I was off unpaid for 12 weeks. My job was protected by FMLA (just not my pay). 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

FMLA

 

ETA: sorry we cross posted. You just posted your not eligible for FMLA. I will leave the link for anyone else who may want the information. 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Tap

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

Hmmm. Sorry. That will make things difficult. There are daycares here who are taking kids full time, but they are very hard to get into right now. Maybe an at home parent wouldn't mind a bonus kid, but that is hard to pay for if your not used to it. Maybe a buddy system with another working parent? (alternating days/nights/weekends to make the schedules merge together etc). 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

3 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Yeah we’d qualify otherwise.  It’s the job protection I need more than the pay.

Maybe talk to your companies HR department. They will be able to advise you about your specific situation and with specific state laws and how they apply to your employer. 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

2 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Between high risk family members and grieving kids who don’t need more change I really need more time at home.  It just seems unfair that the leave would be automatic if they were in public school distance learning.  

(I am just talking in fact, not trying to be rude. Please read this with a kind tone, not snark) It would only apply if their school was closed due to COVID. Your school isn't closed due to COVID. If you want to enroll them in public school and go by public school distance learning rules and nonsense, you may qualify. It is a high price to pay for leave though and the extra trauma of changing into a hybrid program, may be worse for them. 

You may try calling the office that your register to homeschool and talk to them. They may know a backdoor in. States vary so much on how they classify homeschoolers. How the act applies to homeschooling families may be radically different from state to state. 

[Tap]

2 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I have, they aren’t sure either.  Part of the issue is that there is federal $ involved, so they have to be more careful.

 

Are you a Federal Employee? If so, most federal employees don't qualify for paid leave.

 

Have you looked at Unemployment Insurance? I know you are looking for job protection but they may also have some ideas to help you. 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

I know what you mean by some having the protection and not everyone. I am one of those. I have two jobs. One job qualifies for CA and the other doesn't. My full time M-F job, doesn't qualify for CA. But my one day a week job does. I was able to still work my one day a week job, and not my full time job. So, I didn't qualify. LOL I got FMLA for 12 weeks, and then maxed out for the year, so I can't even take FMLA again till next spring. I have a special needs daughter so I can't just hire a regular sitter. 

 

 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

Just now, BaseballandHockey said:

I am not a fed, but the federal government reimburses employers for the pay when you are on Cares leave. 

I don't know why the employer would need to be more careful with federal dollars than state dollars. LOL  Maybe they just feel extra pressure, or are uncertain how to interpret it? IDK That seems like an odd think for someone to say, but we all say silly things sometimes. 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

Just now, BaseballandHockey said:

Our public schools are DL through at a minimum the start of semester 2 in February.

 

i am the sole earner in my family right now, so if my kids need to do DL nonsense for me to keep my job that maybe what we do.  The timing is less than ideal.

Yep! I get it. Sometimes we just need to move in a forward direction. It may not be the direction we choose, but forward non-the-less!   ((((((Hugs)))))) I know it is ridiculously hard to make a decision like this. All you want to do, is work to provide for your family and take care of them. It shouldn't be this hard!

[Tap]

1 minute ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I don’t think they need to be more careful than with state but FMLA doesn’t involve any $ so if they gave it to me and I didn’t really qualify they would be OK?  

FMLA just protects your position, and I think health insurance ( I could be wrong). They just need to be fair in their interpretation of the law. They can't give you expanded leave and then turn someone else down. Do you know if your employer has a clause to extend your FMLA? 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

Just now, Tap said:

FMLA just protects your position, and I think health insurance ( I could be wrong). They just need to be fair in their interpretation of the law. They can't give you expanded leave and then turn someone else down. Do you know if your employer has a clause to extend your FMLA? 

For example...my employer can extend my FMLA, but there is a catch 22. When I apply, the person in charge can say "we have got along fine without you for x amount of time, so we will grant your extended FMLA, but your position is now 3/4 time or 1/2 time. For me, they were concerned that the person in charge, would alter my position. It would be totally legit and not protected under FMLA because it was an extension and not the first leave.  The PIC of my company has been making huge employee cuts, so trimming labor is a pet project of his. This was a legit concern of the head of our HR department, not just a casual conversation.  So, do know that if you ask for and are granted extended FMLA you will absolutely want to get everything in writing! 

[Tap]

7 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

FMLA is not an option, either state or federal.  The reason I don’t qualify is too clear cut.  

 

Cares Act covers the employee on FMLA.

 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Tap]

Just now, BaseballandHockey said:

For FMLA you need to have worked 1,000 hours.  I haven’t.  

But Cares ACT doesn’t require the same amount of time.  

I didn’t come back from FMLA.  I exhausted that and then took a 15 month leave of absence with no insurance or pay. 

Personally this is what I would do.

1. Call the place you register to homeschool and ask if they know anything about the rules in your state re Cares Act.

2. If you need to register the kids with public school, find out what the options are. 

3. Call HR and ask them how you can get FMLA under the CA, if you qualify under the 30 day employment clause. Start that process, because it will require a note from a doctor and can take a bit to get. Even if they are uncertain if you qualify, start the process. 

4. If you get a bunch of "I don't know" answers, ask them who would know and get that person's name and number (or their supervisor if they don't know that either). Contact that person, with your situation and get clarification IN writing ( I like to email questions etc so I have a paper trail).

5. Contact your states Unemployment Insurance. They may have ideas that you haven't though of, or know a loop hole.

6. Worst case scenario, talk to an employment attorney. 

 

Good Luck! It is exhausting.  ((((HUGS)))) I think it is a great thing that helped out a lot of people, but there were a lot of questions it created, and they weren't addressed in the CA and are left for companies to make up their own rules. 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[wonderchica]

Gently... I am an employer. If someone who worked for me tried to use this leave on the basis that a school their children aren’t enrolled in is closed, it would not be approved. If they somehow got it past us and we found out they were lying about their children attending that school, it would very likely affect their employment. I don’t know if they would have to pay it back but they very likely would be fired. I hope you are able to find an option that works for your family.

Edited October 14, 2020 by wonderchica

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Danae]

I would enroll the kids in distance learning at the public school, and jump through the minimal number of hoops to stay enrolled. 

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[wonderchica]

4 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I am sure they are talking to lawyers etc . . . I just need a decision so I am anxious.

 

For something like this, I guess part of my question is how do they audit this? There is a form you fill out and it asks for the name of the school that is closed and documentation of it being closed.  They don’t ask for documentation that your kid attends said school.  So if I write that the reason I need to stay home is because the public school is closed and write it down is there a chance someone would audit that?  If I get caught would it be on me (like I’d have to pay it back) or on my employer?  

I work in a state with its own version of FMLA so there are 2 sets of numbers.  You figure out which one is better for you.  Ours actually is 1,000 but that’s a nonissue since I have worked like 260.  

My employer has granted other people CARES leave so they are definitely eligible.

 

47 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

So, to be clear, I wouldn't lie to my employer.  I couldn't, even if I wanted to, because my employer knows my kids, and the situation, but I wouldn't if it was an option.  

 

Sorry, I guess I misunderstood you when you were asking about being audited and not having documentation that your child goes to that school, just writing down that they did.

Edited October 14, 2020 by wonderchica

[Drama Llama]

1 hour ago, Medicmom2.0 said:

I am homeschooling 2 and have 1 that is enrolled and will be going to 100% virtual as their school is likely to close again. When that happens I will use the CARES act.

one caveat, is that this only works if your school only has hybrid or 100% virtual options. If it’s hybrid you can only use it for the days your child is home. If your school is closed and only has virtual you should be fine.  He does need to be enrolled as they can fact check that. Homeschooling does not count, at least according to my attorney.

When you say "they can fact check this" do you mean your employer or the government?  
 
I think if I don't hear back from my employer in the next 24 hours, I'm going to just enroll him.   The other option is to quit, which would mean that I've left 2 successive teaching positions midyear.  That's kind of the death of a teaching career and as the sole earner with kids, that seems like a worse idea than asking my 10 year old to attend not so great distance learning for a couple months. 

[hippiemamato3]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by hippiemamato3
not helpful

[katilac]

32 minutes ago, hippiemamato3 said:

You just came back to school in August from a leave and want to take another leave? It honestly might be more fair to your school district to just quit. 

She doesn't want to take leave. She said she has reasons that her kids can't be homeschooled or left alone. If she's eligible, then she's eligible, and it is absolutely fine for her to take it. It's not reasonable to expect her to kill her career if she doesn't have to, just so her school district isn't inconvenienced. Her school district will survive her taking leave just fine.

 

[hippiemamato3]

11 hours ago, katilac said:

She doesn't want to take leave. She said she has reasons that her kids can't be homeschooled or left alone. If she's eligible, then she's eligible, and it is absolutely fine for her to take it. It's not reasonable to expect her to kill her career if she doesn't have to, just so her school district isn't inconvenienced. Her school district will survive her taking leave just fine.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2020 by hippiemamato3
not helpful

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[katilac]

16 minutes ago, hippiemamato3 said:

She said she is the sole bread winner, correct? It seems like that means her husband could be home with the kids. I'm just saying - a lot of school districts are hurting for teachers now...and she's not planning to teach. She's trying to find ways to take more leave. 

A lot of things are not what they seem. She didn't even mention a husband, you're just assuming he exists and would be able to be home with the kids. Either way, there are many possible reasons a spouse wouldn't be able to care for the kids. It's a little crazy the way you seem to be assuming she's angling to take leave for some nefarious reason, when she's given us no reason to think that.  

If her school district is hurting for teachers, then they will be delighted to hear she plans on going back. 

[katilac]

If I may indulge in a little internet philosophy: Be kind to everyone you meet. You never know what battles they may be fighting. 

[Not_a_Number]

18 minutes ago, katilac said:

If I may indulge in a little internet philosophy: Be kind to everyone you meet. You never know what battles they may be fighting. 

And then there's always that convenient tool of clicking on a user's name and seeing what they've posted to get a sense of what's happening with them... 

[Tap]

12 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

It occurred to me late last night that I only need to enroll 1.  That I could request CARES act for my youngest and keep my oldest officially homeschooled.  

That makes things much easier!  I work with a lot of adults that have kids doing virtual public school right now. The stories they share are really varied. Anything from ridiculous school expectationions.....to a complete lack of any learning. My own daughter is doing virtual school, but she is special needs so her situation is very different. I homeschooled my 2 older kids each 6 years. We have done full time homeschool, hybrid, part time and worked with umbrella programs. Between them I covered pk-9th grade, then did a few classes for my older public school daughter in high school. Based on my experiences and what I see my fellow families going through right now, switching back and forth between virtual school and traditional home school seems very difficult. But as families sometimes we just have to do, what we have to do! I honestly wish you and your family the best. Sometimes things that seem overwhelming, are very doable and sometimes we find new positive pathways we aren't expecting!  I hope the latter is what happens for you! That something positive comes out of the rough education and life bumps this year is bringing on your family.  ((((hugs))))

[maize]

Enrolling just one child seems like it might be workable.

[wendyroo]

12 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

It occurred to me late last night that I only need to enroll 1.  That I could request CARES act for my youngest and keep my oldest officially homeschooled.  

For various reasons my youngest is a part time virtual public schooler.  Some of it is sooooo ridiculous, but with enough "collaboration" from siblings it isn't too big of a burden on anyone. 

DD is a kindergartner, and one of her social studies assignments was to draw a scale map of our community including at least 5 roads, 5 buildings, 5 natural features, and a map key with 5 labeled symbols.

It is her birthday tomorrow and she is turning 5. She is getting pretty good at drawing stick figures and sometimes they even include arms and a mouth.  She can also write her name, though her Y often looks like a pitchfork.  A scale map and labeled map key are a bit above her paygrade currently!!

I felt no guilt setting her brothers to work tracing a Google map for her and letting her just use ink stamps to fill in the symbols for the map key.  I frequently remind myself that A) if they ask a silly question they should expect a silly answer, and B) team work is a skill highly valued in public schools, and C) I'm ultimately responsible for her education and I pinkie swear I will teach her everything she needs to know about maps when the time is right.

Ultimately she got 10 out of 10 points for her map assignment.  No rubric, no comment, no feedback. The taxpayer in me cringes that the government is paying for this "education", but the mom in me is just happy that working together we could crank it out in 10 minutes!

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[wendyroo]

4 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Unfortunately the district where I live is less flexible, and he’s in fifth where it’s a full day of virtual instruction.  

That is unfortunate.

The pendulum has swung the opposite direction in our district and the virtual classes have no synchronous or even video instruction.  First grade math is reading a mind-numbing Prezzi filled with "I Can" statements each day, watching random YouTube videos, and taking computer graded quizzes that DD never gets feedback on no matter if she aces them or bombs them.

Do you have school of choice in your area? Would it be possible for you to enroll your son in a neighboring district?

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey

[Drama Llama]

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Edited October 15, 2020 by BaseballandHockey