Child Care Wage Enhancement/Home Child Care Enhancement Grant
Questions and Answers
Contents
General.......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Timing............................................................................................................................................................ 1
Investment .................................................................................................................................................... 2
Eligibility ........................................................................................................................................................ 2
Payments to Staff .......................................................................................................................................... 5
Payments to PHDC Providers ........................................................................................................................ 9
Wage Enhancement/HCCEG Calculation .................................................................................................... 10
Child Care Professionals .............................................................................................................................. 12
Operator Application Form ......................................................................................................................... 14
Benefits ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
First Nations ................................................................................................................................................ 18
Family Support Programs............................................................................................................................ 19
Administration ............................................................................................................................................ 19
2016 Wage Enhancement ........................................................................................................................... 20
General
Q.
What is the wage enhancement/home child care enhancement grant
initiative?
A.
The 2014 Budget included an investment of $269 million over three years to
support a wage enhancement in the licensed child care sector. The wage
enhancement will benefit low-income child care program staff in the sector, help
retain Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs), and support access to
stable, high-quality child care programs for children in Ontario. The enhancement
will also help close the wage gap between registered early childhood educators
(RECEs) working in full-day kindergarten (FDK) programs and RECEs/child care
professionals in licensed child care settings.
The wage enhancement will support an increase of up to $1 per hour in 2015,
plus 17.5 percent benefits, with an additional increase in 2016. In addition, the
Home Child Care Enhancement Grant (HCCEG) will support an increase of up to
$10 per day in 2015 for home child care providers.
Timing
Q.
Will this investment continue beyond the 3-year budget announcement?
1
A
Although, this investment was only noted as support for a 3-year period, it is
intended to be an ongoing investment.
Q.
What is the effective date of the wage enhancement?
A.
The wage enhancement initiative is effective January 1, 2015.
Investment
Q.
How much is the wage enhancement?
A.
In 2015, $1.00 plus 17.5 percent benefits is being provided to eligible employees
and $10 per day to eligible private home day care providers. The 2016 amounts
will be determined at a later date.
Q.
What will the wage increase be in 2016?
A.
The 2016 enhancement amount has not yet been determined.
Eligibility
Q.
Which child care staff are eligible for wage enhancement funding?
A.
To be eligible to receive the 2015 wage enhancement, child care staff must be
employed in a licensed child care position that:
• Existed in a licensed child care centre or home child care agency between
January 1, 2014 and October 31, 2014, the eligibility period;
• Has an associated wage of less than $26.27 per hour;
• Is categorized as a child care supervisor, RECE, home child care visitor,
or can be otherwise counted toward adult to child ratios under the Day
Nurseries Act (DNA).
An equivalent grant called the Home Child Care Enhancement Grant (HCCEG)
will be available to home child care providers who serve children placed through
licensed child care agencies.
Q.
What are the HCCEG eligibility requirements for Home Child Care
Providers?
A.
In order to be eligible to receive the full HCCEG of $10 per day, home child care
providers must:
•
•
Hold a contract with a licensed home child care agency between January 1,
2014 and October 31, 2014;
Serve the equivalent of two full-time children enrolled in their program who
have been assigned to them by a licensed home child care agency;
2
•
•
Receive less than $262.70 per day in fees from their agency; and
Are actively serving agency placed children during 2015.
If a home child care provider does not qualify for the full HCCEG because they
serve less than the equivalent of two full-time children assigned to them by their
agency, they can still qualify for a partial HCCEG of $5 per day.
If at any point the contract between a home child care provider and their agency
is terminated the home child care agency must terminate the transfer of HCCEG
funds to the provider.
In the case where the number of agency placed children with a provider drops to
zero, the agency will stop transferring HCCEG funds to that provider. However,
once the provider resumes serving agency placed children, the agency can
reinstate their HCCEG funding.
Q.
Are non-program staff (e.g. cook, custodial staff, administrator) eligible for
wage enhancement?
Non-program staff positions may be eligible for partial wage enhancement
funding where at least 25% of the non-program staff position is used to support
Day Nurseries Act (DNA) ratio requirements. In these instances, the
enhancement will be prorated for the time spent in the eligible position.
o For example a position that requires a cook to spend 25 percent of their
time in the infant room supporting ratio may receive up to 25 percent of
the wage enhancement amount.
Q.
I work as an RECE in a full day kindergarten program and I am employed to
work in the summer at a licensed child care program. Am I entitled to wage
enhancement for my summer employment?
A.
The 2015 wage enhancement is calculated based on child care positions that
existed in the 2014 qualifying period. If the position at the summer employment
existed in that period and other eligibility criteria are met (e.g. position type and
hourly wage), the wage enhancement funding will be provided based on the
number of hours worked in 2014.
Q.
Are Resource Teachers/consultants or supplemental staff employed to
support the integration of children with special needs eligible for wage
enhancement funding?
A.
No, Resource Teachers/consultants or supplemental staff employed to support
the integration of children with special needs are not eligible for wage
enhancement funding as their positions may not be counted toward the required
ratio of employees to children in regulated child care programs.
3
Q.
Will staff of SNR agencies be eligible for the wage enhancement?
A.
Special Needs Resourcing positions do not qualify for the wage enhancement as
they cannot be counted towards ratio requirements.
Q.
What if a Supervisor only spends 25 percent of their time working directly
with children? Does that mean they are only eligible for 25 percent of the
wage enhancement?
A.
One of the goals of the wage enhancement initiative is to increase program
reliability for parents and support higher quality consistent child care services to
support children’s learning and development; supervisors play a crucial role in
achieving this goal and are required under the Day Nurseries Act. Supervisors
who qualify are eligible to receive the wage enhancement for 100 percent of the
time they are working in a licensed child care setting, regardless of the amount of
time they are working directly with children.
Q.
Is the Supervisor or Director of a home child care agency eligible?
A.
No, for PHDCs, home visitors are eligible for wage enhancement and providers
are eligible for the HCCEG, Supervisor and Director positions are not.
Q.
Do program assistant/coordinator positions that may fall into the category
of "supervisor" qualify for wage enhancement?
A.
Under the Day Nurseries Act child care centres must have someone who is
designated as a supervisor. In some cases more than one supervisor is required
under the DNA. The designated supervisor(s) is/are eligible for wage
enhancement if they meet the other eligibility requirements. For all other staff
who are in administrative positions not considered to be supervisors as part of
licencing requirements, they would have to work in a position that can be counted
toward ratio for at least 25% of the day in order to be eligible for wage
enhancement funding.
Q.
Are Directors eligible for wage enhancement if they have floor time?
A.
Directors are eligible if 25% of their time is spent in a ratio position and they
receive a wage rate of less than $26.27 per hour.
Q.
Are positions at existing centres created after October 31st eligible for wage
enhancement in 2015? (E.g. a staff member moved into a position created
after October 31, 2014 from a position that was existing)?
A.
Any positions created after October 31st are not eligible for wage enhancement
in 2015. Where a room has been converted to a new age group (e.g. JK room is
now a preschool room) those positions will be eligible for the enhancement as
they existed prior to October 31, 2014.
4
Q.
Is a position that moves from part-time to full-time considered a new
position?
A.
A centre receives a certain number of FTEs through the wage enhancement
application process. The funding provided for those FTEs can be used to cover
the increases for all positions that existed as of October 31st. Wage
enhancement allocations to centres are based on hours worked in 2014, but
payments are made to staff based on the hours they are working in 2015 e.g. An
RECE who works 38 hours one week will get paid $38 in wage enhancement
plus benefits, if she works 40 hours the following week she will receive $40 in
wage enhancement; this continues until the end of the year or until the centre
uses all of their wage enhancement allocation. If a centre has more working
hours than in the previous year, they will run out of funding prior to the end of
2015, but will be caught up in 2016 as funding is based on the hours worked in
the previous year.
Q.
Are supply staff eligible for wage enhancement?
A.
Yes, supply staff who can be counted towards ratio are eligible for wage
enhancement. However, if supply staff are hired through a third party (i.e. Temp
agency), they are not eligible for wage enhancement.
It is important to note that while supply staff can receive up to $1 per hour plus
benefits in wage enhancement that vacation beyond two weeks and sick days
are not covered under wage enhancement.
Payments to Staff
Q.
Are operators required to pay program staff and home visitors using a
separate line on their pay cheques or can they consider a separate grant
payment?
A.
Child care operators are required to clearly identify wage enhancement funding
on staff pay cheques as follows:
• Provincial child care wage enhancement
A separate code may also be used on the pay cheques (if text is not feasible) as
long as clear communication has been provided to staff defining the code as
Provincial child care wage enhancement.
If a separate line or code on pay cheques is not feasible due to payroll
restrictions, operators may provide the funding to staff through a separate
payment on a bi-weekly basis. However, these payments must be clearly tied to
the number of hours worked and CMSMs/DSSABs must have an accountability
mechanism in place to verify that the payments were made to staff in accordance
with guideline and service agreement requirements.
5
Q.
Can wage enhancement/HCCEG funding be used for other operating
costs?
A.
No, wage enhancement/HCCEG funding must be paid to child care staff/home
providers in addition to their standard provider rate as of January 1, 2015; it
cannot be spent on any other child care program expenses.
Q.
How and when will wage enhancement funding be distributed?
A.
Wage enhancement and the Home Child Care Enhancement Grant funding was
included in the 2015 child care service agreements for Consolidated Municipal
Service Managers (CMSMs) and District Social Services Administration Boards
(DSSABs).
Municipalities are required to post wage enhancement/HCCEG applications for
licensed child care centres and PHDC agencies on their public website by May 1,
2015 for a period of 45 - 60 days. The deadline for submissions will be no later
than June 30, 2015.
As this is the first year of the wage enhancement/HCCEG and the application
process will take some time to complete, child care program staff could see their
enhancement as early as the Spring 2015 or as late as Fall 2015. While the
enhancement may not be given to child care program staff until the fall, it will be
retroactive to January 1, 2015.
In the second year of wage enhancement funding, the ministry anticipates that
the payments will appear on pay cheques earlier in the year, pending Ministry
decisions and timelines.
Q.
What happens if a child care centre runs out of wage enhancement funding
before the end of 2015? Will the CMSM/DSSAB give them additional
funding? Will the Centre be required to take on the additional expense?
A.
The centre is not required to absorb the additional cost to continue funding the
enhancement until the end of 2015. If a centre has more working hours than in
the previous year, they will run out of wage enhancement funding prior to the end
of 2015. They can then stop paying wage enhancement as the set amount for
that centre has been depleted. There is no obligation for the centre to pay the
balance.
Please note that wage enhancement should be tracked separately on pay
cheques.
Q.
If I pursue employment with a different child care centre in 2015, will the
wage enhancement amount follow me to the new child care centre?
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A.
The wage enhancement is calculated based on eligible positions that existed as
of October 31, 2014. If your new position is part of the eligible positions in your
new child care centre, and your operator has applied for the funds, then you
should receive the wage enhancement at your new place of employment.
Q.
I will be on maternity leave for the first six months in 2015. Will I be eligible
for the wage enhancement upon my return in July 2015?
A.
Wage enhancement funding is provided for staff positions rather for individuals.
This means that there will be a full year of wage enhancement funding available
for the position referenced above.
Q.
Can the operator/agency decide when to give wage enhancement/HCCEG
funding to the eligible staff/providers, for example once a year or quarterly
like the old wage subsidy?
A.
Wage enhancement/HCCEG funding should be provided to eligible staff as soon
as the operator/agency is notified that their application for funding has been
approved and they have received the funds from the municipality. It is expected
that this wage enhancement will be included in regular payments made to
employees as soon as possible in 2015, however, this may not occur until Fall
2015 in some cases.
Following the transition year of 2015, the wage enhancement/HCCEG funding is
anticipated to be included on staff pay cheques and home provider payments
early in the year of 2016.
Q.
Will the retroactive amount for wage enhancement, for hours worked from
January 2015 up until the funding release date to the provider, be paid as a
lump sum with the balance for the remainder of the year being included in
staff pay cheques?
A.
In 2015, a portion of wage enhancement funding will likely be paid to staff as a
lump sum due to the May 1st application posting. For example, if an RECE
receives their lump sum in September, the remainder of their 2015 wage
enhancement could be paid through their pay cheque.
Going forward the goal is to make wage enhancement an ongoing part of
employee pay cheques. The wage enhancement amount must be identified
separately on the employee’s pay stub.
Q.
As a child care operator, what impact does wage enhancement have on my
historical Pay Equity obligations?
A.
Wage enhancement funding must be provided in addition to pay equity
payments agreed to under the pay equity memorandum of settlement.
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Q.
Does the wage enhancement funding replace the funding that my program
receives from the municipality to pay for staff wages (e.g. general operating
grant)?
A.
No, wage enhancement funding is a new investment and will be provided in
addition to other funding sources, where applicable.
Q.
If my licensed child care program opened after January 1, 2014, will my
staff still receive a wage enhancement for the full 2015 year?
A.
Yes, the 2015 wage enhancement application form takes into account centres
and PHDC agencies that opened after January 1, 2014 by prorating the hours
worked based on the amount of time the centre has been open. Provided you
indicate on the form the date that your centre opened after January 1, 2014, this
calculation will be done for you.
Q.
How will CMSMs/DSSABs provide wage enhancement funding to child care
operators?
A.
Operators must apply to their local municipal child care service manager by June
30, 2015, or an earlier deadline set by the CMSM/DSSAB if applicable. The
CMSM/DSSAB will review the application form and assess whether the operator
qualifies for the wage enhancement.
Child care operators will enter into an agreement with their municipal service
system manager for wage enhancement. If an operator has an existing purchase
of service agreement, wage enhancement funding can be added to it. As the
service system managers for child care, the municipality determines the timing of
how funds are flowed to operators under these agreements. However, this timing
should allow for operators to include wage enhancement as part of regular pay
where possible.
Q.
I am an RECE working in a position that is eligible for wage enhancement,
my operator has applied for funding, but I am beginning parental leave in
June 2015, how will I get the wage enhancement funding that I’m owed for
the work that I did between January 1 2015 and June 2015?
A.
If your operator is approved for the wage enhancement funding, they will be
required to pay you retroactively for the hours you worked in the eligible position
from January – June regardless of whether you are on parental leave or are
employed by the centre at the time the funding is paid by the CMSM or DSSAB.
Q.
The staffing complement at a centre has changed from what was reported
on the application for January to October 2014. Some senior staff at a
centre were moved to another centre operated by the agency and were
replaced in November by staff at a lower hourly rate (e.g. previous staff
8
earned $27.00 per hour and the new staff will earn $22.00 per hour). Can the
new staff receive wage enhancement in 2015?
A.
No, wage enhancement funding may only be provided to staff whose positions
were approved as part of the 2015 wage enhancement application process.
Operators that are in the situation described above may wish to use the $5.00
per hour in savings generated by paying the new staff a lower rate to provide that
staff member with a wage increase.
Q.
What if a position existed in the January 2014 – October 2014 period, but
doesn’t exist now? What happens to that wage enhancement amount?
A.
If the position no longer exists, the operator is not entitled to receive wage
enhancement for that position and should not apply for it through the application
process. The Ministry will recover any unused wage enhancement funds from the
municipality.
Q.
Do child care operators have the discretion to allocate the wage
enhancement funding amongst all staff evenly to include those positions
created after October 31st, 2014?
A.
All eligible positions from January 1, 2014 to October 31, 2014 must receive their
full entitlement in addition to their hourly pay rate as of January 1, 2015. Wage
enhancement funding cannot be extended to positions that did not exist prior to
October 31, 2014.
Some operators may choose to address increases for staff wages through other
funding for staff positions that were not in place between January 1, 2014 –
October 31, 2014.
Q.
How can CMSMs/DSSABs support expansion to ensure there are not
inequities within an organization? (i.e., some staff receiving wage
enhancement, others not)
A.
Expansion to child care programs that occurred after October 31, 2014 may not
be supported through wage enhancement funding in 2015. However, some
operators may choose to address increases for staff wages through other funding
for staff positions that were not in place between January 1, 2014 – October 31,
2014.
Q.
If a program closes mid-year, will the eligible staff still receive the wage
enhancement?
A.
If a program closes mid-year, the eligible staff would receive wage enhancement
funding for the hours worked until the programs closure. The CMSM/DSSABs
must ensure that all unused funds are recovered from the program. Additionally,
9
if the program closes prior to the CMSM/DSSAB entering into a wage
enhancement agreement with the program no funding should be transferred.
If the program merges with another program rather than closing entirely, the
approved wage enhancement may be distributed to staff through the new
merged program.
Q.
If a centre is sold or changes ownership will it receive wage enhancement
funding?
A.
If, as a result of the change in ownership or sale, a new licence is issued to this
centre, the staff would not be eligible for the 2015 wage enhancement funding as
the staff positions did not exist in 2014.
However, if the centre does not require a new licence and the positions are
eligible for wage enhancement, they should continue to receive funding under the
new ownership.
Q.
Are CMSMs or DSSABs required to provide wage enhancement to centres
whose funds are being garnished by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)?
A.
No, CMSMs or DSSABs are not required to fund centres whose funds are
garnished by the CRA.
Payments to PHDC Providers
Q.
If a provider terminated their contract with an agency at the end of 2014,
the agency will receive an entitlement for this provider in 2015. Can the
agency flow this funding to a new provider that has contracted with the
HCC agency in 2015 or does this funding need to be returned? If this same
provider terminated their contract at the end of January 2015, is the agency
obligated to fund this provider retroactively once funding is received.
A.
No. The provider needs to hold a contract with a licensed PHDC agency during
the eligibility period in 2014 and in 2015 in order to receive the HCCEG. Any
provider that has entered into a relationship with an agency after October 31,
2014 will have to wait until 2016 to be eligible for the HCCEG.
Providers who terminate their agreement with the agency during 2015 will
receive payment for the HCCEG from the agency for the period that they worked
in 2015.
Wage Enhancement/HCCEG Calculation
Q.
Why is the 2015 wage enhancement based on the hours worked in 2014
positions?
10
A.
Basing the 2015 wage enhancement funding on the hours worked in the previous
year will help to provide wage enhancement funding to eligible child care
professionals sooner.
Q.
What if an employee’s wage during January 1st 2014 to October 31st 2014
is below $26.27 (therefore eligible for the wage enhancement) but then as
of January 1st, 2015 has a wage rate of more than $26.27, will they receive
the additional dollar in 2015?
A.
Yes. The eligibility is based on the position’s hourly salary as of October 31st,
2014. In 2016, this position will no longer be eligible for the wage enhancement.
Q.
When staff wages including subsidies bring the wage above the cap, can
operators submit the basic wage without subsidies so that staff qualify and
then add the subsidies so that it’s their true wage that is captured and
therefore making them eligible for the enhancement?
A.
No, the wage rate that determines whether staff qualify should include any
general operating, pay equity or wage subsidy funding provided to operators as
of October 31, 2014. Where the total wage rate exceeds $26.27 as of October
31, 2014, the individuals would not be entitled to wage enhancement.
Q.
If staff receive one lump sum of wage enhancement at the end of the year,
how is this captured in the calculation of their hourly wage? Should it be
prorated over the year and added to their base wage which might bring
them over the cap?
A.
The wage enhancement may be distributed to eligible staff in 2015 as a lump
sum due to the timing of the roll-out of the initiative. The wage enhancement is
calculated as an hourly increase and for future purposes, individuals should look
at the wage rate including the wage enhancement for future eligibility purposes.
Q.
The EYCC1: 2015 Ministry of Education memo to child care operators
references a daily rate of $262.70 as well as a daily rate of 252.70 in relation
to eligibility for the HCCEG. What threshold must providers meet in order
to be eligible for the HCCEG?
A.
In order to receive the full $10 / day increase, a provider must earn less than
$252.70, as $252.70 + $10 = $262.70. The $126.35 per day noted in the memo
for the partial home provider grant is half of the $252.70.
Q.
How is an FTE determined in the centre-based application?
A.
The ministry has used the provincial government standard of a 36.25 hour work
week, which is 7.25 hours per day x 5 days. If an employee works more than
36.25 hours, the FTE value will be higher than 1.
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The number of hours to achieve an FTE of 1.0 in the qualifying period of January
1st to October 31st is 211 days x 7.25 per hour per day or 1,529.75 hours.
Q.
A position working an 8 hour day works 202 days x 8 = 1928hours from
January 1st to October 31st in 2014. Provided the position they are working
in qualifies for the full wage enhancement the position would be eligible to
receive $2,303 and a FTE of 1.31. How does this calculation work?
A.
Based on the application form, a position working from January 1st would have an
annualization factor of 1.1945. Therefore the 1,928 hours worked from January
1st to October 31st would be annualized to 2,303 hours. The position would then
receive $2,303 of wage enhancement. The Ministry calculates one FTE as a
position that works 1,751 hours for the entire year (approximate number of
working days in the year – 4% vacation x 7.25 hrs/day). Therefore the position
would have an FTE of 1.31 (2,303/1,751)
Q.
What is considered a full-time equivalent (FTE ) school-age child in home
child care?
A.
An FTE is defined by the full day rate that a provider is paid for a school age
child by child type. An FTE is calculated by taking the total funding received by
the provider for that child type / number of days worked / full day rate associated
with child type.
Q.
Can the FTE count for home child care providers include privately placed
children?
A.
No, the HCCEG is calculated based on “agency placed” children; privately
placed children may not be included in the HCCEG eligibility calculation.
Q.
If the centre requires more funding due to annualization of positions that
were not quite full in 2014, and the CMSM/DSSAB has available funds, can
the CMSM/DSSAB pay them the additional funding required, if we have
available funds within our WE allocation?
A.
No, each centre is only entitled to the amount generated from their application
based on 2014 data. The Ministry will recover any excess wage enhancement
funding. If CMSMs/DSSABs wish to use other funds to provide additional dollars
in excess of the wage enhancement received from the Ministry, that is within their
discretion to do so, however all funding spent outside of wage enhancement
must be recorded under the appropriate child care expense line. There is no
flexibility between wage enhancement and regular child care allocations.
Child Care Professionals
Q.
How do I know that my centre/agency will apply?
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A.
The Ministry of Education is sending letters to each licensed child care operator
in early January 2015 to notify them of the wage enhancement. The letter will
encourage operators to apply to their municipality for funding.
Q.
How do I know if I am eligible for the wage enhancement?
A.
To be eligible to receive the 2015 wage enhancement, child care professionals
must be employed in a licensed child care position that:
• Existed in a licensed child care centre or home child care agency between
January 1, 2014 and October 31, 2014, the eligibility period;
• Has an associated wage of less than $26.27 per hour;
• Is categorized as a child care supervisor, RECE, home child care visitor,
or can be otherwise counted toward adult to child ratios under the Day
Nurseries Act (DNA).
Q.
How do I know that my centre/agency will give me 100% of my wage
enhancement/HCCEG?
A.
Operators must clearly indicate on staff paycheques and home child care
provider fee transfers, the portion of funding that is being provided through the
wage enhancement/HCCEG, labeled as follows:
• Provincial child care wage enhancement
• Provincial home child care enhancement grant
Additionally, child care centres and participating home child care agencies are
required to attest to their local municipality that they have provided 100% of wage
enhancement/HCCEG funding directly to eligible child care staff/home care
providers.
Child care professionals should direct any concerns they have regarding an
operator’s use of wage enhancement/HCCEG funding to their local service
system manager.
Q.
Who do I contact if I have concerns about this funding such as how it is
being used?
A.
As the service system managers for child care, municipalities will manage public
inquiries related to the wage enhancement. Municipalities will post
email/telephone contact information for inquiries related to the wage
enhancement. Examples of the type of inquiries that might be directed to
municipal service managers include:
• The process for applying for wage enhancement funding;
• How child care professionals can determine if their operator has applied
for funding; and,
• How child care professionals can report an operator’s misuse of funding
(e.g. if they have not received their increase) and more.
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Q.
What happens if my operator does not apply for the funding?
A.
The operator application process will be posted to municipal websites no later
than May 1, 2015. Any operator who has not submitted an application for the
wage enhancement by the deadline identified by their municipal child care
manager will not be allocated wage enhancement funding in 2015. Operators
who miss the application deadline may apply for wage enhancement funding in
2016.
Please contact your municipality to determine whether or not your operator has
applied for funding; if they have not applied, please encourage them to do so.
Q.
If the operator of my child care program does not apply for wage
enhancement/HCCEG funding, what is my recourse?
A.
As child care centres/PHDC agencies are independent businesses the Ministry of
Education cannot require that they apply for wage enhancement/HCCEG
funding.
To help encourage your operator to apply for wage enhancement/HCCEG, you
may wish to gather information on the initiative from your local CMSM or
DSSAB’s website that will support them in the application process.
Q.
I am entitled to a raise in 2015 based on my centre’s salary grid. Will the
wage enhancement be paid to me on top of the level I will be at on the
salary grid?
A.
Yes, the wage enhancement/HCCEG funding will be provided to eligible child
care professional in addition to their existing compensation.
Operator Application Form
Q.
Why am I responsible for applying for funding on behalf of my staff?
A.
All provincial child care funding is flowed from the Ministry of Education to
municipalities and then from municipalities to operators through a service
agreement process. A similar process will be used for wage enhancement
funding.
Q.
Do I need to reapply for funding every year?
A.
Yes, wage enhancement funding is allocated to operators based on the actual
hours child care professionals worked in the qualifying period of the prior year.
In the case of home child care providers, the HCCEG is allocated based on the
actual number of days worked in the prior year. This means that operators will
be required to apply for funding every year to update this information.
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Q.
I am unable to locate the application form? Where can I find it?
A.
Application forms for wage enhancement are posted on your local municipality’s
website.
Q.
I missed the application deadline. Can I request an extension?
A.
Unfortunately, there are no extensions for the provision of wage enhancement
funding in 2015. However, you can apply for funding in 2016.
Q.
I am having difficulty completing a portion of the application form. Who
can help me?
A.
Please contact your local municipal service system manager for support.
Contact information for the wage enhancement should be available on the site
where you downloaded your form.
Q.
On the application, it asks for hours of service, does this mean when the
program is open for business or when program staff are expected to be
there?
A.
Hours of service include all hours that staff are required to be at the centre.
Q.
Not everyone has Microsoft Excel, what should CMSMs/DSSABs do about
compatibility challenges?
A.
The Ministry would encourage CMSMs/DSSABs to consider compatibility
requirements and alternate submission methods (e.g. hard copy) when posting
their application form.
Q.
More than one staff share a position in my centre (e.g. one works in the
morning and another works in the afternoon), what wage rate do I enter in
the application form?
A.
Where multiple staff share a position, operators should enter the lowest wage
rate in the application form.
Q.
There was turnover in a position in my centre during 2014 which resulted in
multiple hourly rates associated with the position, what rate do I enter in
the application form?
A.
Operators should enter the wage rate associated with the position as of October
31, 2014.
Q.
Should operators include sick leave hours when completing the wage
enhancement application form?
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A.
No, operators should not include sick leave hours in the application form.
However, the hours of staff replacing employees on sick leave may be included
in the application.
Q.
Rather than subtracting sick hours and adding in supply hours can an
operator choose to only to include the total hours worked for a position
and then pay whichever staff work the hours in 2015?
A.
Yes, provided the number of hours worked are the same, this approach is
appropriate and may be simpler for operators.
Q.
As a CMSM/DSSAB, can I allow my operators to enter all positions that will
be entitled to a full $1 per hour under the wage enhancement under one
line? For example if all the RECE positions will be eligible for a full
enhancement (e.g. they all earn less than $25.27 per hour) their hours
would all be added together in the application form.
A.
Provided that none of these positions will receive a partial enhancement or would
be ineligible for the enhancement due to the cap, their hours can be entered on
one line in the application form. Additionally, the positions must be from the same
category (e.g. all RECEs or all Supervisors). CMSMs/DSSABs that choose to
take this approach must have a method of ensuring operator accountability e.g.
to ensure that records are kept on file for actual hours worked and to follow up
with staff complaints etc.
Q.
What hours are considered overtime? If an RECE normally works 35 hours
and then has to work 45 hours one week would the 10 additional hours be
considered overtime?
A.
Hours are only considered overtime when an employer is required to pay time
and a half. All other hours can be included in the application template.
Q.
Should CMSM/DSSAB funding such as general operating and pay equity be
included in the hourly wage rate reported through the wage enhancement
application form?
A.
Yes, when completing the application form operators should report the total wage
rate being paid to an employee as of October 31st, 2014. This includes wages
funded by pay equity and general operating funding. For example, if a
Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) earns $25.00 per hour as their
base wage rate, and then receives $1.50 per hour in pay equity and an additional
$0.50 per hour in general operating their total wage rate is $27.00 per hour,
which means they would not be eligible for the wage enhancement.
Q.
Do closure days (e.g., extreme weather) need to be deducted?
A.
Yes, wage enhancement funding can only be paid for actual hours worked. If a
centre is closed, the hours may not be included.
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Q.
Can CMSMs/DSSABs post the wage enhancement application on their
website before May 1st?
A.
CMSMs and DSSABs may post the applications before May 1st, as long as they
are posted for a period of 45 – 60 days.
Q.
How do CMSMs/DSSABs ensure that operators are clear on position vs.
people?
A.
In order to qualify for wage enhancement child care program staff have to be
working in a position that existed between January 1, 2014 and October 31,
2014. The wage rate reported for each position should be the rate paid as of
October 31, 2014.
For example, a new RECE graduate could begin at a licensed child care centre
in June of 2015 and receive wage enhancement funding because the position
she was hired for existed between January and October 31, 2014.
Q.
Should a child care operator fill out one application for all of its locations?
A.
One application should be completed for each licensed child care centre or
PHDC agency.
Q.
What category should operators select for staff who are “otherwise
approved” by a Director?
A.
When completing the application forms, operators should include information
about the position, not the individual filling the position. This means that the
operators should select the RECE category on the application form if that is the
accurate position description regardless of whether the individual filling the
position has been otherwise approved.
Q.
In the application form, should the operator include statutory holidays or
vacation days in the hours worked?
A.
No, 4% has been included for vacation pay (2 weeks) and 3.59% has been
included for public holiday pay (9 days) under the mandatory benefits therefore,
vacation and public holiday hours should not be included in the hours worked
section of the template.
Q.
How do you calculate supply staff positions in the centre-based
application?
A.
Operators can input all the supply hours worked from January 1, 2014 to October
31, 2014 into the form, as long as these staff can be counted towards ratio.
Operators may wish to enter one line for all RECE supply hours, one for
Supervisor supply hours and one for non-RECE supply hours. This will give the
prorated hours that the operator can fund for a full year of supply staff in 2015.
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Q.
What if a staff’s hours increase mid-year or a position’s hours are greater
in 2015 than they were in 2014 – how would these situations be handled?
A.
Centres will only receive funding for the hours worked in 2014, any hours that
exceed these hours will be captured the following year.
Benefits
Q.
Does the 17.5% in mandatory benefits go towards employer or employee
costs?
A.
The 17.5% maximum in mandatory benefits is used for employer costs for the
above statutory contributions. This includes 4.00% in vacation pay and 3.59% in
public holiday pay that will be provided to employees.
Q.
What benefits are included as part of the 17.5% earmarked for employerrelated benefits?
A.
The following is a breakdown of the mandatory benefits for child care
professionals. There is some variance in the requirements, which is why the cap
is 17.5%.
Statutory Contributions
Child Care
Canada Pension Plan (CPP), max $52,500
4.95%
Employment Insurance (EI), max $48,600
2.63%
Workers Safety Insurance Board (WSIB)
1.10%
Employer Health Tax (EHT)
1.23%
Vacation Pay
4.00%
Public Holiday Pay
3.59%
Total
17.50%
Q.
My centre provides benefits at a rate higher than 17.5%. If I apply for the
wage enhancement funding am I taking on a financial pressure for the
benefits I provide over 17.5%? Is there additional funding to support this
cost?
A.
There is no additional funding under the wage enhancement initiative to support
benefit costs beyond 17.5%.
Q.
Can savings in benefits be used to support additional wages or vice versa?
A.
No, there is no flexibility between wage and benefit allocations. Compensation
cannot exceed $1 per hour or 17.5% benefits.
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Q.
If an operator does not provide one of the benefits listed in the application
form can they attribute that to another type of benefit?
A.
Yes, there is flexibility within the benefits provided they do not exceed 17.5%.
Q.
Why is April reflected with a 1.36 public holiday?
A.
When calculating the benefits, the Ministry rounded up to 17.5%. As such, the
additional rounding piece was placed in the statutory holidays line. As such,
instead of funding 9 public holidays, there are 9.36 days funded. Where an
operator does not require the extra .36 for public holidays, this funding could be
attributed to other benefits e.g. vacation pay could be increased if applicable.
First Nations
Q.
Are licensed Head Start programs funded through Health Canada eligible
for wage enhancement?
A.
Yes, all licensed child care programs are eligible for wage enhancement funding.
Q.
Will private child care centres in First Nation communities be eligible for
wage enhancement?
A.
Yes, all licensed child care operators who employ staff that meet the eligibility
criteria are eligible for wage enhancement funds.
Q.
How do First Nations apply for wage enhancement funding?
A.
First Nations will receive a wage enhancement allocation as part of their 2015-16
service agreements; application forms will be included in the package. First
Nations will be required to submit completed wage enhancement application
forms to the Ministry of Education by June 30, 2015.
Family Support Programs
Q.
Will wage enhancement funding be available to RECEs and other program
staff employed by family support programs?
A.
Wage enhancement funding is only available to child care professionals
employed in licensed child care settings. At this time, there is no commitment for
wage enhancement funding to be extended to staff in family support programs.
Administration
Q.
Per the Wage Enhancement Administration section of the 2015 guidelines,
is the administration allocation a one-time grant that is above its 2015 child
care allocation?
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A.
Yes, wage enhancement administration funding for 2015 is provided as a onetime grant that is over and above 2015 child care allocations.
Q.
Will wage enhancement administration funding be included in monthly
cash flow deposit or via a separate deposit?
A.
This money will be flowed via a grant letter (i.e. separate deposit).
CMSMs/DSSABs are required to report spending for the wage enhancement
administration grant through EFIS in the Revised Estimates in Schedule 4.3
(Wage Enhancement).
Q.
Will CMSMs and DSSABs be required to include the administration grant in
their EFIS 2.0 Estimates due March 31st?
A.
Expenses related to the administration grant will not be reported in Schedule 2.3.
Rather CMSMs/DSSABs will report related expenses in Schedule 4.3, which is
specifically for wage enhancement. Reporting for wage enhancement will
commence in the Revised Estimates, and is not required in Estimates.
Q.
What is the process if a CMSM/DSSAB experiences a shortfall in
administrative funding? How would the administration allocation be
affected?
A.
The preliminary administration allocation was based on 10% of the projected
wage enhancement allocations based on licensed capacity. No additional
funding will be provided for administration in 2015.
Q.
Can wage enhancement administration funding be used to support regular
child care administration?
A.
No, wage enhancement funding may not be used to support regular child care
administration. It can only be used to support the implementation of wage
enhancement and other child care program costs.
Q.
How much administration funding will CMSMs/DSSABs and First Nations
get next year?
A.
Administration funding allocations for 2016 have not yet been determined. The
Ministry will work with CMSMs/DSSABs and First Nations throughout 2015 to
determine administration requirements associated with wage enhancement
implementation.
Q.
Will the Ministry be providing a sample reconciliation tool?
A.
Yes, the Ministry is currently working with the Provincial Municipal Early Years
Reference Group to develop a sample wage enhancement reconciliation tool.
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2016 Wage Enhancement
Q.
Will wage enhancement funding be rolled into general operating next year?
A.
For 2015 and 2016, the wage enhancement funding will be provided separately
from the other child care allocations. The ministry will engage the sector on a
funding approach post-2016.
Q.
Do CMSMs/DSSABS have to oversee the application process again in the
fall to calculate 2016 wage enhancement/HCCEG funding?
A.
More information will be provided regarding the next cycle of wage enhancement
including the associated timelines which are being reviewed by the Ministry.
Q.
If wage enhancement funding is discontinued are operators expected to
pay their staff the lost wages?
A.
Although, this investment was noted as support for a 3-year period, it is intended
to be an ongoing investment.
Q.
If there has been program expansion in 2015, will the new positions be
eligible for the full year 2 wage enhancement or will they begin at $1 per
hour?
A.
Any positions that are eligible in 2016 (based on the 2015 eligibility period) will
receive the full year two enhancement (year 1 rate plus year 2 rate).
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