Parenting & Child Care

DHS employees who have children (through birth, adoption, or marriage) should consider adding their children (dependents) to the employee benefits outlined below. Consult OPM’s Healthcare page for more information on your spouse or child’s enrollment eligibility.

NOTE: You have a 90-day period beginning 31 days before and ending 60 days after a birth, adoption, or other qualifying life event to change your FEHB, FEDVIP, FSAFEDS, or FEGLI enrollment. For more information on enrollment eligibility by qualifying life event, visit OPM’s Life Events webpage.

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB)

Adding a child to your health insurance plan is simple. If you already have a Self and Family plan, simply notify your insurance carrier that you wish to enroll your new child. The carrier may require that you submit a copy of your child's birth certificate, a marriage certificate (for stepchildren), or adoption paperwork.

If you are currently enrolled in a Self Only plan, you’ll need switch to a Self Plus One or a Self and Family plan by completing and submitting the Health Benefits Election form (SF-2809) and a copy of your child's birth certificate or adoption paperwork to your human resources office.

NOTE: You have a 90-day period beginning 31 days before and ending 60 days after a birth, adoption, or other qualifying life event to change your FEHB, FEDVIP, FSAFEDS, or FEGLI enrollment. For more information on enrollment eligibility by qualifying life event, visit OPM’s Life Events webpage.

Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)

To add your child to your dental and vision plan, you must first switch your plan to either Self Plus One or to Self and Family coverage. Once you’re enrolled in an appropriate plan, you can add your child to the plan.

Change your plan and enroll your child online at benefeds.com or by calling (877) 888-3337.

NOTE: You have a 90-day period beginning 31 days before and ending 60 days after a birth, adoption, or other qualifying life event to change your FEHB, FEDVIP, FSAFEDS, or FEGLI enrollment. For more information on enrollment eligibility by qualifying life event, visit OPM’s Life Events webpage.

Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Policy (FEGLI)

As a DHS employee with a child, you can increase your FEGLI coverage and/or choose coverage under the Family Option. If you currently have Basic coverage, you may select Option B, which will allow you to add as many multiples as you have additional family members (spouse and eligible children), up to five multiples.

If you select Option C, you may designate up to five multiples, regardless of the number of eligible family members you have.

You must submit the Life Insurance Election form (SF-2817) along with a copy of the birth certificate or adoption paperwork to your human resources office.

NOTE: You have a 90-day period beginning 31 days before and ending 60 days after a birth, adoption, or other qualifying life event to change your FEHB, FEDVIP, FSAFEDS, or FEGLI enrollment. For more information on enrollment eligibility by qualifying life event, visit OPM’s Life Events webpage.

Designating a Beneficiary (FEGLI)

If you’d like to designate your child as a beneficiary, complete a new Designation of Beneficiary form and submit it to your human resources office.

Visit the OPM website to access Designation of Beneficiary forms and instructions.

Set aside pretax money for a full range of childcare services with a flexible spending account. To enroll in an FSAFEDS health care account, you must also be eligible to enroll in the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) program.

For more information or to enroll or change your enrollment, contact FSAFEDS at (877) 372-3337 or visit the FSAFEDS website.

DHS components provide Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offer child care specialists who can help you efficiently assess your caregiving situation and arrange the appropriate referrals to available support services in your area.

Referrals are available for the following support services:

• Child Care and Summer Camps
• Adoption Support
• Lactation Support
• Education Support
• Caregiver Issues and Concerns
• Transportation Services

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providers vary by component. Visit the Employee Assistance Programs page to find contact information for your component's EAP provider.

You can use this Emergency Family Care Plan to help keep track of your family's important dependent and backup care contact information. 

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide DHS employees who have children with special needs assistance from knowledgeable experts to help them navigate a variety of challenging issues:

• Managing family dynamics
• Advocating for your child -- including state laws, regulations, and schools
• Referrals to available resources in your community

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providers vary by component. Visit the Employee Assistance Programs page to find contact information for your component's EAP provider.

Worksite lactation programs, also known as nursing mothers programs, help ease employees’ transitions back to work after childbirth and encourage the continuation of breastfeeding. It is DHS policy to support the health of mothers and their children by enabling employees to continue breastfeeding when they return to work after the birth of a child by providing private space to express breast milk and reasonable time during the workday to do so.

For details on worksite lactation at your component, contact your component's nursing mothers program coordinator or e-mail worklife@hq.dhs.gov.

Having a baby is challenging and every woman deserves support – including the very best mental health. Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn more about depression during and after pregnancy.

DHS is committed to enabling fathers to play a strong role in their families by encouraging them to take advantage of work-life programs, consult with work-life coordinators about options, and participate in parenting and childcare seminars and support groups.

For more information about resources available to fathers at DHS, contact your component's work-life program coordinator or e-mail worklife@hq.dhs.gov.

Using Sick Leave for Adoption Purposes

An employee is entitled to use sick leave when he or she must be absent from work for purposes related to his or her adoption of a child. Examples of adoption-related purposes may include but are not limited to:

• Appointments with adoption agencies, social workers, and attorneys;
• Court proceedings;
• Required travel;
• Any periods of time the employee is ordered or required by the adoption agency or by the court to take time off from work to care for the adopted child; and
• Any other activities necessary to allow the adoption to proceed.

Advanced Sick Leave for Adoption Purposes

At the discretion of DHS, up to 240 hours (30 days) of sick leave may be advanced to an employee, when required by the exigencies of the situation, for purposes related to the adoption of a child. For more information, visit the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Advanced Sick Leave Fact Sheet.

Sick Leave Usage Limits per Leave Year

There is no limitation on the amount of sick leave that may be used for adoption-related purposes. Sick leave for adoption-related purposes does not count towards the 104-hour (13-day) limit of sick leave each leave year for family care and bereavement purposes or the overall limit of 12 weeks of sick leave each leave year for all family care purposes.

Adoption and Foster Care Resources

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) operates several programs that offer help to adoptive and foster families.

• The Administration for Children and Families’ Adoption website has resources on all aspects of domestic and intercountry adoption.
• AdoptUSKids is a service of Administration for Children and Families’ Children’s Bureau.
• Caring for Children in Foster Care provides resources and information for foster parents about caring for foster children.

At its discretion, an agency may advance up to 240 hours (30 days) of sick leave to a full-time employee*:

1. Who is incapacitated for the performance of his or her duties by pregnancy or childbirth; or
2. For purposes relating to the adoption of a child.

* For a part-time employee (or an employee on an uncommon tour of duty), these amounts must be prorated according to the number of hours in the employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek.

For more information, visit the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Advanced Sick Leave Fact Sheet.

At its discretion, an agency may advance up to 240 hours (30 days) of sick leave to a full-time employee*:

1. Who is incapacitated for the performance of his or her duties by pregnancy or childbirth; or
2. For purposes relating to the adoption of a child.

* For a part-time employee (or an employee on an uncommon tour of duty), these amounts must be prorated according to the number of hours in the employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek.

For more information, visit the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Advanced Sick Leave Fact Sheet.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Most federal employees are entitled to a total of up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the following purposes:

• the birth of a child of the employee and the care of such child;
• the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
• the care of spouse, child, or parent of the employee who has a serious health condition; or
• a serious health condition of the employee that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her positions.
• any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, child, or parent of the employee is on covered active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty) in the Armed Forces.

Under certain conditions, an employee may use the 12 weeks of FMLA leave intermittently. An employee may elect to substitute annual leave and/or sick leave, consistent with current laws and OPM's regulations for using annual and sick leave, for any unpaid leave under the FMLA. (The amount of sick leave that may be used to care for a family member is limited. See Sick Leave to Care for a Family Member with a Serious Health Condition.) FMLA leave is in addition to other paid time off available to an employee.

Job Benefits and Protection

• Upon return from FMLA leave, an employee must be returned to the same position or to an "equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay, status, and other terms and conditions of employment."
• An employee who takes FMLA leave is entitled to maintain health benefits coverage. An employee on unpaid FMLA leave may pay the employee share of the premiums on a current basis or pay upon return to work.

Advance Notice and Medical Certification

• An employee must provide notice of his or her intent to take family and medical leave not less than 30 days before the leave is to begin or, in emergencies, as soon as is practicable.
• An agency may request medical certification for FMLA leave taken to care for an employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent who has a serious health condition or for the serious health condition of the employee.

Questions?

For more information about the Family Medical Leave Act, contact your human resources office or e-mail worklife@hq.dhs.gov.

DHS components provide Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offer employees and their eligible family members no-cost, confidential counseling and financial and legal consultation.

EAP Counseling services can help with common parenting challenges:

• Childhood trauma
• Helping children cope with divorce
• Parenting stepchildren
• Dealing with difficult children
• Parenting teens
• Teen substance use

Employee Assistance Programs also provide a variety of additional parenting resources:

• Adoption support -- including information about the adoption process and referrals to adoption agencies
• Child care and summer camp search­­­­­­ -- including verified availability in your area
• Child safety kit -- including tools and information to help you protect your child from today's most prevalent dangers
• Lactation support -- including discounts
• Education support -- including searches for tutors, afterschool programs, and assistance navigating the college application process
• CDC Milestone Tracker: Get a summary of your child's milestones; view tips and activities to support your child's development; and find out what to do if you ever have a developmental concern.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providers vary by component. Visit the Employee Assistance Programs page to find contact information for your component's EAP provider.