Backup Care Program

• About Backup Care
• Am I Eligible?
• Whom does Backup Care cover?
• When You Might Use This Program
• What Kinds of Services are Available?
• How Much Does it Cost?
• Is There a Time Limit?
• When Can I Register?
• How Can Backup Care Work for Me?
• Where Can I Provide Feedback?

 

About Backup Care

As part of the new Work/Life initiative, Columbia University has contracted with Work Options Group to provide a new program that can help you care for the people who depend on you.

The University provides access to backup care to support you during a temporary change or disruption in normal care arrangements, or when you have an unexpected need to provide short-term care for others. During times when other care options are not available and you don't want to take time off from work or study, you have backup care to consider as a resource.

The backup care program covers both planned and unplanned changes in your care arrangements, at low cost to you, giving you 24/7 access to experienced backup care specialists. These specialists find and schedule licensed, qualified care on your behalf -- any time you or your usual provider can't be there.

To register, visit www.workoptionsgroup.com , or call 1-800-557-0847.

 

Am I Eligible?

You may participate in the backup care program if you are:

• A benefits-eligible Officer of Instruction
• A benefits-eligible Officer of Research
• A benefits-eligible Officer of the Library
• A benefits-eligible Officer of Administration
• A benefits-eligible Non-Union Support Staff member
• A Post-Doctoral fellow — including Post-Docs, Research Fellows, Research Scholars and Research Scientists, regardless of eligibility for other University benefits
• A Doctoral Student, either full-time or part-time
• A Teaching Fellow not in a Ph.D. program

 

Whom does Backup Care cover?

Backup care is for anyone who relies on you for care. This includes infants through the elderly. The backup care program covers care for healthy children in centers or at home, and care at home for people of all ages who need it.

Adults for whom you provide care do not have to reside with you.

They may live down the hall or across the country. You may even arrange care so that your child or adult can accompany you when you travel for professional purposes.

 

Examples of When You Might Use This Program:

• Your child cannot attend school due to illness
• Your regular adult or child care provider is unavailable for any reason
• Your child is on a school break and needs temporary care
• An adult in another state needs temporary home care that you might have to provide
• You need to travel for professional purposes and require additional care for your child or adult, at your destination or at your home

For more details, visit www.workoptionsgroup.com .

 

What Kinds of Services are Available?

 

Regular Child Care:

• Licensed facilities
• Close to your home or campus

Home Care for Children:

• Qualified Professionals
• 24-hour care
• For healthy or mildly ill children

Home Care for Adults:

• Qualified Professionals
• 24-hour care
• For impaired or mildly ill adults

 

How Much Does it Cost?

Columbia University covers most of the costs for backup care. After care is received, you are billed for the copay as follows:

• $2 copay/hour per child for child care facilities
• $4 copay/hour for home care (for up to 3 dependents at one time)

 

Is There a Time Limit?

You can receive 100 hours of care per year through the backup care program. Work Options Group has generously provided us with an additional month of care for the first year, which runs from June 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008.

 

When Can I Register?

There is no cost to register for the Backup Care Program. 

While you may register at any time, Work Options Group encourages you to register early, before you need to use backup care; early enrollment will make using the program in an emergency much easier for you.

Even if you have not pre-registered, you can still call to set up care, and register at the same time.

Again, to register and schedule care, or for additional information, you can visit www.workoptionsgroup.com or call 1-800-557-0847.

 

How Can Backup Care Work for Me?

If the situation requires you to take time away from your work or to miss a professional gathering, the Backup Care Program can work for you.

Child Care

• Your partner or spouse must leave early for work so you typically get the children up and to school in the morning.  However, you have to go out of town for a conference. Backup care can arrange for someone to come to your home, wake the kids, and get them to school – every day until you return.
• You have a child with special needs whose care is split between day care and home care.  But the day care center is closed for the day, and the home care attendant cannot come in for the full day. Backup care can send you a qualified person to fill in. 
• Your spouse or partner is in the hospital, and you are faced with missing work to take care of your children.  Backup care can arrange for in-home care or care at a center until your spouse or partner is able to help out again.

Adult Care

• Your older parent, friend, or in-law lives alone.  She has a change in health status – a stroke, a fall, a progressive illness – and will no longer be able to live independently.  You are helping her find a permanent care solution, but it is taking longer than you expected.  Backup care will provide an aide in her home so that you do not need to miss work while searching for permanent care alternatives.
• A relative, friend, in-law or parent lives independently, but needs care after surgery or during an illness. Backup care can provide in-home care until he or she recovers.
• You are the caregiver for a disabled adult at nights and on weekends, and you need to go to a conference out of town. Backup care can provide an in-home caretaker to care for him while you are away.  
• An older parent, friend, relative, or in-law lives in another state.  Their usual care attendant is on vacation for a week. Backup care can arrange for a substitute until the attendant returns from vacation.
  

 

Where Can I Provide Feedback?

We welcome your feedback, questions, suggestions and concerns. Please contact either the Office of Work/Life or Work Options Group.

Office of Work/Life

Phone: 1-212-854-8019
Email: worklife@columbia.edu
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Work Options Group

Phone: 1-800-557-0847
Web: http://www.workoptionsgroup.com/
Office Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week

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