As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, schools all over New Jersey have closed in an effort to slow down its spread. This has left parents across the state adjusting to these new circumstances of juggling child care 24/7 and continuing their own life. This can be overwhelming for families, especially for those who are single parents that previously went through a divorce. When facing these situations, parents who need extra assistance caring for their children should know that there are options available to them to do so.
How Can I Receive Child Care Help?
If a parent needs extra child care while under stay-at-home orders during the Coronavirus outbreak, they should first look to their settlement agreement from their divorce. This document should entail an arrangement for how both parents wish to provide care for their children. Child care during work hours for a working primary residential parent is considered a mandatory statutory add-on for child support payments. However, there are cases in which some couples choose to opt out of this provision, or there may be no primary residential parent. There are also many couples who choose to have 50/50 joint parenting time with their child and put in their settlement agreement that they will be each other’s child care while the other parent is working.
While this is true, we are currently living in unprecedented times. It is because of this that it may not be possible for two parents to help each other with child care during this time. That is why parents can apply for a modification of their settlement agreement with the court so that a reimbursement of child care costs or other expenses can be granted during this time.
Contact our Firm
If you require strong legal representation for matters of divorce and family law in New Jersey, contact The Law Offices of Paone, Zaleski & Murphy to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced attorneys today.
