Care.com

Care.com offers a network of providers and options to assist with needs such as after-school care, caring for a child who is home sick, caring for children while you are working from home, caring for aging parents, and more.

Interested in learning more about the Care.com benefit? Check out this recorded webinar.

Eligibility and Benefit Details

Eligibility for utilizing Care.com and backup care is limited to:

  • Full-time regular faculty, librarians, and research associates
  • Full-time postdoctoral associates
  • Full-time postdoctoral scholars
  • Full-time regular staff

Eligible employees who sign up with Care.com receive unlimited access to Care.com's network of local caregivers, a total of 10 available backup care days for child and adult care per program year (September 1 to August 31) to be used for work-related purposes, and an opportunity for tuition discounts on tutoring and local and national child care centers.

How to Enroll

Visit pitt.care.com or download the care.com mobile app to create an account. You can also call 855-781-1303.

  1. Enter the required personal details including:
    1. Employee number (located on your payslip through Pitt Worx or in personal details)
    2. First and last name
    3. Date of birth
    4. Home street address and zip code
  2. After entering your personal details, select the Continue button.
  3. Identify the type of care you need. If you are calling to register, select the number that corresponds to your care needs.
  4. Follow the prompts to complete your search for care.

For questions about enrolling, contact Care.com by calling 855-781-1303 or by emailing careteam@care.com.

How to Use Care.com

Your membership includes unlimited access to the Care.com network to post jobs, search, and reach out to local caregivers, 24/7, to find care for children, adults, housekeeping, tutors, and more for work-related purposes. Review this PDF for details about the Backup Care benefits through Care.com.

Available caregivers include: nannies and babysitters, senior caregivers, housekeepers, special needs caregivers, errand runners, and tutors.

  • Post a Job: Create a job post with a description of the care for which you are hiring.
  • Search, Filter, and Review: Search and filter through caregivers in your zip code radius that meet your requirements. Receive applications from local caregivers, request background checks, and reply to messages and applications.
  • Safety Center: Access the Care.com Safety Center for tips and tools to hire safely.

Using Backup Care

When your regular care is not available, vetted and subsidized adult care and child care for work-related purposes is available as Backup Care through Care.com. Reimbursement is also available for child and adult care through your personal network when Care.com in-network options are not available. Review this PDF for details about the Backup Care benefits through Care.com.

Backup Care for Children

Eligible employees have a total of 10 backup care days for child and adult care per program year (September 1 to August 31) to use for work-related purposes. Note: A "day" is a minimum of four hours of care and a maximum of 10 hours of care. In-home, in-center, and personal network care options are available. Learn more about child backup care and how it works.

Types of Backup Care
  • In-Home Child Backup Care: Request a vetted Backup Care provider to come to your home. You can book in-home Backup Care up to 90-days in advance. After you request care, a Care Specialist will identify a caregiver that best fits your needs.
  • In-Center Child Backup Care: Choose from Care.com's vetted network of centers near your home or workplace when requesting in-center Backup Care. Center care is available Monday through Friday during center hours. In-center Backup Care can be booked up to 30-days in advance.
  • Personal Network: You may use Backup Care with a caregiver of your choice, independent of Care.com. In these scenarios, you pay for the care directly and can file a claim for reimbursement (up to $125 per day) with Care.com. Unlike when you select a Care.com in-network Backup Care provider, when you use a caregiver or center from your Personal Network, you are fully responsible for vetting, scheduling, paying, and otherwise engaging with your caregiver or center. Visit the Care.com Safety Center for guidelines on hiring safely. Learn more about Personal Network Backup Care (PDF).
When to Use Backup Care for Children
  • Your regular care provider is not available.
  • School or child care center is closed.
  • Your child is sick.
  • You have business travel or work obligations outside of normal working hours.
  • You have a temporary gap in regular care coverage (e.g., switching regular care providers).
Available Days & Cost of Backup Care for Children

Available Days: 10 total backup care days per program year (September 1 to August 31) for child and adult care

Cost:

  • In-Home Care: $4 per hour copayment (paid directly to Care.com)
  • In-Center Care: $10 per day copayment (paid directly to Care.com)
  • Personal Network: Reimbursement up to $125 per day after copayment, up to the maximum of 10 days allowed (claims for reimbursement can be filed directly with Care.com)

When you use Care.com's in-network options, Care.com coordinates all of the details. With the Personal Network, you must arrange all details, timing, and vetting on your own.

Unlike Care.com's in-network caregivers and centers where Care.com handles all payments outside of your copay, with Personal Network you must pay your caregiver or center up front and submit a claim for reimbursement later with Care.com.

The value of the Care.com backup dependent child care usage, by federal law, is considered imputed income and therefore taxable. As an example, if the total cost of the backup care for one day costs a total of $160 (or, $20 per hour), your cost share is $4 per hour and it is not taxable. The University’s payment is $16 per hour. This portion is taxable and will appear on your pay statement on or about the month of November of each calendar year. Also keep in mind that, by federal law, your contribution for the child care costs may be submitted against a dependent care account for children under the age of 14. The age limitation is age 13 starting July 1, 2022.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a $5,000 maximum for non-taxable dependent care benefits. Money used towards Care.com Backup Care and/or your Dependent Care FSA aggregates toward the $5,000 cumulative total. Anything over this $5,000 maximum will be taxed accordingly upon filing. For further clarification on how this applies to your unique circumstances, please consult a tax accountant.

Backup Care for Adults

Eligible employees have a total of 10 backup care days for child and adult care per program year (September 1 to August 31) to use for work-related purposes. Note: A "day" is a minimum of four hours of care and a maximum of 10 hours of care. In-home and personal network care options are available.

Types for Backup Care
  • In-Home Adult Backup Care: Request a vetted Backup Care provider to come to your home. You can book in-home Backup Care up to 90-days in advance. After you request care, a Care Specialist will identify a caregiver that best fits your needs.
  • Personal Network: You may use Backup Care with a caregiver of your choice, independent of Care.com. In these scenarios, you pay for the care directly and can file a claim for reimbursement (up to $125 per day) with Care.com. Unlike when you select a Care.com in-network Backup Care provider, when you use a caregiver from your Personal Network, you are fully responsible for vetting, scheduling, paying, and otherwise engaging with your caregiver. Visit the Care.com Safety Center for guidelines on hiring safely. Learn more about Personal Network Backup Care.
When to Use Backup Care for Adults

You may use Backup Care for Adults for yourself or a loved one. You may find yourself in a situation in which you may need the service and care for your own personal needs. Examples may include if you or a loved one are recovering from surgery, injury, or illness, or if a ride is needed to or from a medical appointment.

Available Days & Cost of Backup Care for Adults

Available Days: 10 total backup care days per program year (September 1 to August 31) for child and adult care

Cost:

When you use Care.com's in-network options, Care.com coordinates all of the details. With the Personal Network, you must arrange all details, timing, and vetting on your own.

Unlike Care.com's in-network caregivers and centers where Care.com handles all payments outside of your copay, with Personal Network you must pay your caregiver or center up front and submit a claim for reimbursement later with Care.com.

The value of the Care.com backup dependent adult care usage, by federal law, is considered imputed income and therefore taxable. As an example, if the total cost of the backup care for one day costs a total of $160 (or, $20 per hour), your cost share is $4 per hour and it is not taxable. The University’s payment is $16 per hour. This portion is taxable and will appear on your pay statement on or about the month of November of each calendar year. Also keep in mind that, by federal law, your contribution for the adult care costs may be submitted against a dependent care account.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a $5,000 maximum for non-taxable dependent care benefits. Money used towards Care.com Backup Care and/or your Dependent Care FSA aggregates toward the $5,000 cumulative total. Anything over this $5,000 maximum will be taxed accordingly upon filing. For further clarification on how this applies to your unique circumstances, please consult a tax accountant.

Tuition Discount

You can save on full-time and part-time tuition at local and national child care centers when you use the Tuition Discount Center Network on Care.com.

You can also use your Personal Network for Backup Care for tutoring. Simply book the tutor and submit a receipt to Care.com to get reimbursed for a portion of the cost. Each tutoring engagement will count as one Backup Care day.

General Questions: FAQ

Care.com is an employee benefit that helps manage your family care needs while balance work.

Visit pitt.care.com or download the Care.com mobile app to enroll. You will need your employee number and other personal details to register.

To ensure your care needs are met, Care.com will request the following information during enrollment: name, age, gender, and details on any special needs.

Your Care.com Membership gives you unlimited access to the world’s largest platform for finding and managing care for children, seniors, and the home. Enroll and sign in today to explore detailed caregiver profiles in your area, post a job for caregivers to apply, and access the Care.com Safety Center.

Yes, any contributions made by an employee can be submitted against their dependent care flexible spending account, if elected. Your FSA card can be used on the Care.com website when paying for Backup Care.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a $5,000 maximum for non-taxable dependent care benefits. Money used towards Care.com Backup Care and/or your Dependent Care FSA aggregates toward the $5,000 cumulative total. Anything over this $5,000 maximum will be taxed accordingly upon filing. For further clarification on how this applies to your unique circumstances, please consult a tax accountant.

The value of the Care.com backup dependent child and adult care usage, by federal law, is considered imputed income and therefore taxable (it is federally/state taxable only if the total Care.com usage plus Dependent Care FSA deductions are greater than $5,000). As an example, if the total cost of the backup care for one day costs a total of $160 (or, $20 per hour), your cost share is $4 per hour and it is not taxable. The University’s payment is $16 per hour. This portion is taxable and will appear on your pay statement on or about the month of November/December of each calendar year. Also keep in mind that, by federal law, your contribution for the care costs may be submitted against a dependent care account for adults and children under the age of 14. The age limitation is age 13 starting July 1, 2022.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a $5,000 maximum for non-taxable dependent care benefits. Money used towards Care.com Backup Care and/or your Dependent Care FSA aggregates toward the $5,000 cumulative total. Anything over this $5,000 maximum will be taxed accordingly upon filing. For further clarification on how this applies to your unique circumstances, please consult a tax accountant.

You can use more than the 10 provided days per program year. However, the University will bill you for any care beyond what is provided in the program.

All member-generated content submitted on the platform is reviewed by our Member Care team. This includes: general information, profile/job description, photos, reviews, identity/certificate documents etc. Our team works to ensure that live content meets quality and safety guidelines, and does not contain any safety concerns, contact information, and is relevant. In the United Kingdom, we verify member information and childminder registration number with the childminder authority online database for England, Scotland and Wales. We currently do not run background checks on any member for the International countries nor do we offer them the opportunity to purchase a background check. Providers may upload relevant documents to their profile including a country-specific background check or other relevant certifications; these documents can then be accessed by families when reviewing the provider’s profile.

If anyone in an employees' household may have been exposed to COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms, Care.com requires a 10-day wait period since last possible exposure before requesting Child or Adult Backup Care. When requesting Backup Care, individuals will need to confirm that no members of their household are positive for COVID-19 or are within this precautionary wait period. Additionally, Care.com must be notified if there are any health changes in an individual's household between the time they request care and the day the care is taking place.

In the case of actual infection, per CDC guidelines, Care.com requires employees to confirm that they (or their family) have been both symptom-free for 7 days and fever-free (without any fever-reducing medications) for 3 days.

If an employee has questions regarding backup care services or anything else related to Care.com benefits, they may call 855-781-1303 and follow the prompts to select backup care or another prompt for other services. For more information about backup care, please review this PDF.

If you already have a Care.com account created to find caregivers, we will need to merge the account with your company-sponsored membership. Please email membercare@care.com for support.

Employees with questions about the benefit or eligibility can contact the Benefits Department by submitting an online inquiry or by calling 833-852-2210.

Employees with questions about enrolling can connect with Care.com by calling 855-781-1303 or by emailing careteam@care.com.

Backup Care for Children: FAQ

When your regular care isn’t available during work hours. In-home child Backup Care is available for newborn to teenage children and providers come prepared to make sure your children are safe and happy, and to keep your home in the same condition you left it. They should not be used for laundry, errands, or household chores. In-center Backup Care is available for center-aged children during center hours, which may vary.

All individuals performing in-home Backup Care for children are required to complete a Backup Care services orientation and screening process that includes:

  • Criminal Background Check
  • Social Security Number Trace
  • National Sex Offender Public Website Check
  • Identity Verification
  • Reference Checks

Care.com's dedicated staff thoroughly vets each facility before it becomes an approved Backup Care center in the Care.com network. Centers must be state licensed, perform criminal background checks on the teachers and staff they employ, check against the National Sex Offender Registry, check against Central Abuse and Neglect Registry, and confirm eligibility to work in the U.S.

Yes, this is encouraged. The in-home caregiver will call prior to providing care to make an introduction. You may also contact your Backup Care center prior to the day of care.

If your child has a low-grade fever, runny nose, mild cough or has started an antibiotic, you can use In-home Backup Care. For the safety of Care.com's caregivers, Care.com can’t provide care to children with fevers over 100°F or with highly infectious illnesses like Chickenpox, Coxsackievirus, or Pinkeye. In-center Backup Care is not available for children that are sick.

When using an in-network Backup Care provider, costs are paid directly to Care.com. The credit card you have on file with Care.com will be charged after care takes place. You may use your FSA card (if you have an elected Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account) as the card on file with Care.com. Part of your Backup Care is subsidized, so you are only responsible for your copay.

Your credit card on file with Care.com will be charged a $30 cancellation fee if a Backup Care request is cancelled within 72 hours of the reservation start time and a provider has already been reserved to fulfill your request. Additionally, if the cancellation occurs within 24 hours of the reservation start time, one (1) day will also be deducted from your Backup Care wallet.

Personal Network: FAQ

  • Date and time of care
  • Who received care
  • Why you needed Backup Care
  • Receipt for care that took place
  • The amount you paid for care
  • Who provided the care and their contact information

No. While you’re welcome to enter your claim as soon as you realize you need care, you have 30 days after the care takes place to submit the claim to Care.com.

For in-home or in-center Personal Network Backup Care you will be reimbursed up to $125 per day if you submit a claim directly to Care.com. You’re still responsible for your copay. Log into your Care.com account and go to “Reimburse me for care.” From this page you can add a claim and upload your receipt. Care that qualifies is work-related Backup Care and cannot include your family’s regular care expenses. If your claim is already in the Care.com system, you can edit and upload your receipt. Once your receipt is approved, Care.com will send you a reimbursement via direct deposit or by mailed check. Your claim needs to be submitted within 30 days of care. Anything after this deadline will be automatically rejected. After you submit a claim, your Backup Care wallet will be deducted. For adult Backup Care, please call 855-781-1303. Learn more about getting reimbursed for Personal Network adult backup care.

  • The care provider’s name, address, and phone number
  • Your full name plus your child’s full name
  • Your child’s age
  • Type of service and number of hours provided
  • Date of service
  • Hourly rate and total amount paid, if applicable
  • Signature of provider and date signed

You will need to provide your bank account information to get reimbursement via direct deposit. If you would prefer, we can mail you a check. It can take up to 10 business days after processing your claim to receive your reimbursement.

Yes, there is a fillable receipt template available that you can use to submit for reimbursement. You can also use a receipt from your Personal Network care center or caregiver if it includes all the necessary information.

You can edit or delete your claim at any time before it has been approved for payment. Login to your Care.com account, and select “My Kids” then “Reimburse Me For Backup Care” then “View Claims.” Select “Edit” next to the claim you want to change or delete. If you delete a claim, the Backup Care utilization day will be added back to your account to be used at a later date.

For Benefits Inquiries

Benefits Customer Support
Phone: 833-852-2210
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Submit an inquiry to Benefits

Note: The quickest way to receive assistance if you have a benefits-related inquiry, including the submission of forms or documentation, is by calling 833-852-2210.