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Understanding your Care.com benefit through Harvard University

Through Care.com, benefits-eligible Harvard faculty and staff have access to a range of dependent-care services. The following explains how to register for all Care.com services and describes the services that Care.com offers.

How to Register for your Care.com account

  1. Register before you need it. To use any service provided by Care.com, Harvard faculty and staff must first acknowledge and accept a waiver of liability. The process of agreeing to the terms of the waiver is now done through PeopleSoft. The waiver language and instructions for pre-registering can be found in the Waiver and Registration Instructions document. Please begin by reviewing it and following the instructions.  
  2. Receive a confirmation email. Once this waiver is received through PeopleSoft, the eligible employee is added to file feed that goes to Care.com via PeopleSoft each evening. PeopleSoft will automatically send the registered employee a confirmation email to the Harvard email address on file.
  3. Enroll with Care.com. Once you have received the automated confirmation email, you will need to enroll with Care.com (hu.care.com). Instructions are contained in that email. You must enroll using your Harvard email address. When enrolling:
    1. If you already have a personal Care.com account and you wish to merge it with the new account you are creating via your Harvard benefit, be sure to click “No” in answer to the question at the top of the enrollment page, “Are you new to Care.com?” You can then follow the prompts to merge your accounts.
    2. If you do not have a Care.com account or do not wish to merge it with the account you are creating via your Harvard benefit, click “Yes” in answer to the question at the top of the enrollment page, “Are you new to Care.com?”
  4. Choose and use your benefits. Once enrolled with Care.com, you will see a screen guiding you to choose the services you need. Some are accessible online and via the Care.com app, others require a phone call. 
  5. Download the Care.com mobile app for easy access to your account when using a mobile device.

Care.com has recently announced the launch of its new Care service helpdesk. This dedicated service desk will provide faculty and staff with a seamless service experience with issues regarding accessing and/or using their Care services. This generally includes issues such as:

  • Enrollment and eligibility errors
  • Portal navigation or errors
  • Password issues

Please note that questions or issues regarding the pre-registration/waiver process to access these services, or backup care should not be directed to this helpdesk.

 

The customer service helpdesk is staffed Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm. To access this dedicated customer service helpdesk, faculty and staff should email cfbhelp@care.com.

 

What Care.com Offers

Your Care.com benefit gives you access to multiple services. These are:

  1. Premium Care.com membership: Unlimited and free use of Care.com’s online database of caregivers and other services (known as the Digital Platform). This is a self-service tool that allows you to search for caregivers and other household help. Once you are enrolled with Care.com, you will see this option as, “I want to search on my own.”
    - Note: Caregivers on the digital, self-service platform are not necessarily licensed or fully background-checked. For more information on Care.com's security practices, please see their Safety Center and read about additional background checks available for purchase. Once you have submitted a waiver, you can create a Care.com account and explore their offerings at HU.Care.com.
  2. Back-up child care: When regular child care is not available, back-up care services may be able to help. This program provides each benefits-eligible faculty or staff member with access to a total of 20 days per fiscal year of back-up care, including in-home child or adult care and center-based back-up child care.
    1. In-home child care: This in-home back-up care service differs from the self-service Care.com database. Care.com has represented that these caregivers are specifically trained, experienced, and vetted to provide in-home back-up care. When you use in-home back-up care, you are gaining access to a smaller pool of caregivers and the professional placement services of Care. Days of this service count toward the overall total of 20 days/shifts (minimum of 4 hours, maximum of 10 hours) per benefits-eligible faculty or staff member. Information about costs can be found here.
    2. In-center child care: Back-up care is also offered on a space-available basis through a network of child care centers (age range/limit varies by center) that contract with Care.com. Specific centers are visible once you are logged in to Care.com's portal for Harvard. Days of this service count toward the overall total of 20 days per benefits-eligible faculty or staff member. Information about costs can be found here.
  3. Elder and Adult-Care Services
    1. Back-up adult care: In-home back-up care is available for elders or other adults, including care for yourself when recovering from illness or injury. When you use in-home back-up care, you are gaining access to the professional placement services of Care.com. Days of this service count toward the overall total of 20 days/shifts (minimum of 4 hours, maximum of 10 hours) per benefits-eligible faculty or staff member. Read more about adult back-up care.  Information about costs can be found here.
    2. Self Care: Employees can use Care.com back-up care providers for themselves. If you have had a medical procedure, for example, and need someone in the house to help you by reminding you to take medication, preparing simple meals, or just keeping you company, then you can call on Care.com, too. The costs for back-up adult care apply.
    3. Senior Care Solutions: This service helps faculty and staff navigate the demands of caring for an aging family member or other adult by connecting you, free of charge, with a professional senior care advisor (a licensed geriatric social worker who is an expert in adult and elder care). The program also provides referrals and access to vetted services around the country. Learn more about Senior Care Solutions.
  4. Care.com HomePay. If you have a household employee such as a caregiver or housekeeper, you may be responsible for household payroll, tax, and HR compliance. Care.com offers HomePay for an additional fee, but as part of your Harvard benefit, registration fees are waived (whether you have found your employee through Care.com or not).

Information from Care.com