University Human Resources

Back-up Care

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Back-up Care

Brown University offers eligible employees access to back-up care for children, adults, or themselves when there is a temporary breakdown in normal care arrangements.

The back-up care program provides 24/7 access to qualified specialists, at a low cost to employees, for both planned and unplanned care needs.

All benefit-eligible employees may use the services provided under the back-up care benefit immediately upon hire. Coverage ends on the last day of active employment.

Eligible employees can rely on Bright Horizons for:

Back-up child care: in-home well/mildly ill care or center-based care through a nationwide network of licensed child care centers
Adult/elder care: in-home care for a parent, grandparent, spouse, adult child, self, etc.
Additional family support: self-serve and self-pay additional family supports including regular caregivers, nanny placement services, weekend babysitters, virtual babysitting, pet caregivers, tutoring, access to the Sittercity mobile app, and more through the Bright Horizons CareDirect enhancement.

Contact worklife@brown.edu with questions.

Program Registration

You can reserve care the day it is needed or up to 60 days in advance. Registering in advance can make accessing care easier in the event of an emergency.
To register and/or make a reservation, you will need your 9 digit Brown ID number.

Register Online:

Access the Bright Horizons website
Username: Brown
Password: backup8

Register by Phone:

Call 1-877-BH-CARES (242-2737)

If you make a care reservation that cannot be fulfilled, Bright Horizons will initiate Out-of-Network Care to give you the option of finding your own back-up provider and being reimbursed for related care.

Program Parameters, Copays and Withholdings

Prepare for...

15 days per eligible employee per calendar year
To help parents ease back into returning to work, an additional 15 days of back-up care for:
- Newborns within the first 12 months
- Newly adopted children within the first 12 months of adoption

Center-Based Child Care: $15/child/day or $25/family/day
In-Home Care: $4/hour/caregiver (one caregiver can care for up to three recipients at one time)

To ensure compliance with current IRS standards and practices, Brown may withhold and report taxes on certain dependent care benefits received, which are subsidized by Brown University.

If the total of your back-up care subsidies received in a calendar year (or total of your subsidies plus your annual Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account election) exceeds the annual $5,000 tax-free limit allowed by the IRS, amounts over $5,000 will be considered imputed (taxable) income.

Example One

Dependent Care FSA: You have elected and used $5,000 in your dependent care FSA.
Back-up Care Utilization: You have also used 5 days of in-home care for two well children at a total value of ($227 per day - $32 copays= $195 per day). Total value of back-up care utilization= $975

Your total dependent care benefit (FSA election usage plus backup care benefit utilization) is $5,975. This exceeds the $5,000 IRS tax-free limit by $975.

In this example, you would see additional tax withholdings.

Example Two

Dependent Care FSA: You have elected $3,000 in your dependent care FSA.
Back-up Care Utilization: You have used 10 days of center-based care at a total value ($93 per day - $25 family copay = $68 per day). Total value of back-up care utilization= $680

Your total dependent care benefit is $3,680. Because this does not exceed the IRS tax-free limit, in this example, you would not see any additional tax withholdings.

Please note: The fair market value of care may fluctuate.

This information is provided for your general review only. Brown cannot provide personal tax advice. Please consult a tax professional for guidance on your individual tax situation.

Program Enhancements

Virtual Tutoring Exchange

Eligible employees have the option to exchange a back-up care day for up to four hours of virtual tutoring. Tutoring is available for your dependents aged 5-18. Tutors can assist children and teens with reading, math, and more than 300 other subjects. Copays will apply.

Tutoring FAQ

Expanded Network of Tutors and Virtual Learning Support

Bright Horizons Additional Family Supports has expanded their network of tutors to include Revolution Prep, Varsity Tutoring, and Marco Polo Learning.

Access to Babysitters and Nannies

Sittercity, a comprehensive database of local sitters, nannies and housekeepers will provide the option to search for and hire an “Educational Caregiver,” a babysitter or nanny with a background in education. Badges on caregiver profiles allow you to easily identify important credentials such as background check completion, as well as CPR and First Aid certification. The Sittercity membership fee is waived for Brown faculty/staff, but faculty/staff are responsible for the cost of any caregiver hired.

Search for Sitters, Nannies & Housekeepers

Testimonials

The back-up care benefit helped my sister and me work and care for our mother the way we needed while she was in the final stages of dementia. Needing one of us at the hospital 24/7 to advocate for her, we were able to secure overnight care through this benefit which allowed one of us the ability to work the next day. Back-up care allowed us to juggle both our work responsibilities, our need to be with her while in the hospital and during her last days in hospice. Thank you back-up care!

Trish Dumin Senior Library Specialist, Tech Support/Training

While traveling, I was able to use back-up care to work in one room and have my son in the next room with a caregiver. I could go back and forth between the rooms to nurse. That is the ultimate in accommodating a mother's needs.

Erika Edwards Assistant Professor of Biology