Care.com: For Children, Adults, and Pets
Looking for an easy way to find reliable care? Tufts provides a Care.com benefit to help you find a caregiver for any member of your family – from infants to adults to pets. Care.com has two ways to find caregivers:
- The Care@Work Backup Care service, which includes your personal network for on-demand needs.
- The Care.com Membership service, where families find their own care.
Important Note: For employees using Care.com for dependent care services, please be advised that the IRS has annual limits on this fringe benefit. Since the university subsidizes this benefit for you, the value of the university’s contribution to your Care.com usage plus any deferral you or your family makes into a Dependent Care FSA are taken into consideration to determine your maximum annual pre-tax benefit. Depending on the value of your individual benefits used, a portion may be taxable. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Care.com and the taxability of benefits and consult with your professional tax advisor to determine taxability to you.
Backup Care Services
Care@Work Backup Care provides in-home and in-center backup care for children and adults for up to 20 days per year for gaps in care while you need to work. These caregivers are employees of Care.com and have undergone employment-level background checks or are employed by Care.com’s network of agency partners who have committed to meeting Care.com’s standards for backup care background checks and vetting.
In-home backup care for children or adults has a low hourly copay of $8.00 per hour.
In-center backup childcare is $25.00 per day per child. All centers in Care.com’s backup care network are licensed, have been curated by Care.com’s team, and are subject to vetting by Care.com or their network partners. Care.com services are available nationwide, so you can use them at home or when traveling for work.
For children only, you can use your personal network. Schedule care on your own with your own provider and get easily reimbursed for a portion of the costs above your copay. Simply arrange care with your go-to provider, get a receipt, and submit a claim. Personal Network care providers are not vetted by Care.com.
More on Backup Care:
Premium Website Membership
The Care.com free, unlimited access membership service is a do-it-yourself hiring marketplace to find in-home caregivers. Tufts pays for access to this service; you pay the full cost of caregivers you hire. Care.com performs a preliminary screening of these caregivers. The site provides resources and guidance about making safe hiring decisions, including three tiers of background checks you can purchase from the site.
The Care.com membership service also includes a directory of care businesses, such as childcare centers. These are simply directory listings that are not vetted by Care.com (as noted on the business profiles). You can also find pet care, housekeeping, tutoring, and many other types of services.
More on Premium Memberships: Membership Services (PDF)
Ways to Use Your Care.com Benefit
- Search for a care provider for any member of your family or yourself
- Hire a special needs caregiver
- Find camps during school vacations and holidays
- Get backup care when traveling for work
- Find help with household chores, rides, or tutoring
- Find dog walkers or pet sitters
- Help your parent attend a medical appointment – locally or across the country
- Access articles on a wide array of topics, such as caregiving, safety, and assisted living
Call or Get the Mobile App
You can call or use the Care.com mobile app to find care on the go:
- Call 855-781-1303, 24/7
- iPhone/iPad
- Android
Provided by Human Resources