Back-up Care for Children and Adults

Care.com Back-up Care provides back-up child and adult care. Benefits-eligible employees may use up to 20 days per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) of all back-up care services combined.

When to use Back-Up Care

  • Child care  Examples: When a child's regular care is not available (e.g., snow days, planned child-care centers closures, absent nannies), when a child is mildly ill (in-home care only), or when you have to work outside of your regular hours. Please note: This benefit is intended to be used for back-up child care purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for routine child care arrangements.
  • Adult care  Examples: For elders or other adults when their regular care arrangement is not available, or for otherwise independent adults – including yourself – who require temporary support when recovering from a medical procedure, illness, or injury. Tasks include preparing meals, light housekeeping, prompting for medication, accompanying a patient to a medical appointment, and assistance with bathing, dressing and mobility. Please note: This benefit is intended to be used for back-up adult care purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for routine care arrangements.  In addition, adult back-up care may require an assessment of care needs and therefore as much time as possible should be allowed.

Types of Back-Up Care

  • In-home 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 short-notice placement services of Care. You can book caregivers online or you can call Care. When you call for backup in-home care, you can ask to speak to an advisor who can tell you about caregivers' experience and training, and make sure that your questions are answered. Adult back-up care may require an assessment of care needs and therefore as much time as possible should be allowed.
  • Center-based care  For children only, back-up care may be available through a network of child care centers, on a space-available basis. Age limits vary by center.  Where and when available, the service will be accessible through the Care.com portal for Harvard University users. Specific centers are visible once you are logged in to Care.com's portal for Harvard.

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. Please go to the Care.com Overview page to learn about all that Care.com offers.

Eligibility

Benefits-eligible faculty and staff on a regular Harvard payroll may use this service. Please contact your program administrator if you have questions regarding your eligibility.

Cost and Payment

  • In-home child care   Benefits-eligible faculty and staff will pay a Harvard-subsidized rate of $6 or $12 per hour, according to their Harvard benefits salary bracket. There is a daily minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 10 hours. These copays will be automatically updated and displayed within the Care.com portal once you have created an account and logged into the portal. For children who may need providers with additional experience or a special skill set, this rate may increase. There are no administrative or registration fees.
  • Center-based child care  Center-based care is $35 per day.  Where and when available, this service will be accessible through the Care.com portal.
  • In-home Adult care — Benefits-eligible faculty and staff will pay a Harvard-subsidized rate of $6 or $12 per hour, according to their Harvard benefits salary bracket. There is a daily minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 10 hours. These copays will be automatically updated and displayed within the Care.com portal once you have created an account and logged into the portal.

Hourly Rates for In-Home Back-up Care

Harvard Salary Rate
Under $99,999 $6 per hour
$100,000 or more $12 per hour

Definition of a day

  • One day = one use
  • Minimum reservation and payment = 4 hours
  • Maximum day = 10 hours

Unused Hours

Unused hours from one year may not be carried over into another.

Imputed Income

Please note that if you have a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account and use the back-up care benefit in the same year, you may be subject to imputed (taxable) income; learn more.

Arranging for Service

Eligible faculty and staff must: 

  • Pre-register: 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. Please go to the Care.com Overview page to learn about all that Care.com offers.
  • Arrange for care: Care may be arranged via Care.com's portal for Harvard employees (sent to you once you register), via the Care.com app, or by calling 800-691-5224 (press 2 for backup care and then 1 for child care and 2 for adult care). We suggest providing 24 hours' notice for care services, when at all possible. You may reach the Backup Care team 24/7/365by calling 800-691-5224. Please identify yourself as a corporate client through Harvard University. Only employees with a waiver on file who have enrolled in the benefit through hu.care.com can be served.
  • Pay for care: You are responsible for paying the hourly cost of the caregiver. Your credit card will be charged for the hours of care provided.