Caring for your family while you are at work can often be a challenge. Whether it's after-school care, tutors, caring for a child who is home ill or the responsibility for aging parents, sometimes you need additional support, even at a moment's notice. We know that life can be unpredictable, so to help alleviate these challenges, the College covers the monthly Care.com membership fee for all benefits eligible staff and faculty.

Care.com Benefit:

  • Membership to Care.com 
    • The membership provides access to a search database of providers for their family care needs, including care for children, tutoring, elderly adults, pets as well as your home.
  • Back-up Childcare
    • Up to 10 days of back-up child care per fiscal year when back-up and short notice care is required, such as the illness of your caregiver, stay at home spouse/partner, child, or when your current child care center is closed.  This benefit should not be used as a replacement for routine child care arrangements.
    • Back-up Childcare includes tutors
    • The College will subsidize a portion of the back-up care and the employee will pay a small portion of the cost: $6.00 per hour for in-home care or tutoring, and $15 per day at an in-center location, if applicable, for caregivers within the care.com network.
    • Employees can submit for personal care outside of care.com network.  Employees are eligible to receive reimbursement of up to $125 per day after either a $15 co-pay at a facility or $6.00 per hour co-pay for in-home care or tutoring.  If an employee has a neighbor or friend watch or tutor their child, they can submit the receipt and receive up to $125 (minus the co-pay).   Care.com also has a receipt template to help expedite the process for those situations when a caregiver doesn't have a receipt or the option to produce one. 
  • Self Service Search for Care Needs
    • Access to a search database of providers for your family care needs including care for an elderly adult, child, home, pet, and/or tutoring.
  • Expert Assistance/Concierge Services (LifeCare)
    • 24/7 personalized one-on-one assistance from highly trained Care Specialists to help employees find child care, tutoring, pet care and other services.
    • Access to the world’s largest community for finding care and helpful online resources to support you with family care decisions.
    • Employees will submit a request and complete a needs assessment. Care.com specialists will prescreen caregivers and conduct initial interviews.  Staff and faculty save time in the pre-screening process and speak with a final selection of candidates. The final candidate chosen by the employee receives a background check before providing the service. 
  • LifeMart
    • A members-only discount platform that provides offers and savings on major brands and everyday essentials so you can stretch your dollar further and make the most of your paycheck.

Additional information about the Care.com benefit and ways you can take advantage of it:

Who is eligible for Care.com?

  • All benefit eligible faculty and staff are eligible for the Care.com benefit.

What services are offered through Care.com?

How do I sign up for the Care.com benefit?

  • To activate your benefit, go to amherstcollege.care.com and select “Enroll Now” or call 855.781.1303.
  • You must enter your Amherst employee ID number to validate your employment. Care.com uses the seven-digit College ID number -- the number on your ID card without the two leading zeroes.

Is there a cost to use the Care.com benefit?

  • There is no cost to find care providers on the self-service site. Once you hire a caregiver, the cost of care should be discussed with your caregiver.

Is there a limit to the number of times I can use the Care.com benefit

  • There is no limit to the number of times you can use the self-service website

What will occur if I have a current Care.com account outside of Amherst College

  • Visit amherstcollege.care.com
  • Click “Enroll Now”
  • When asked if you are new to care.com? Click “No”
  • The prompts will ask you to enter in your credentials for your current account and may ask additional questions to validate as an employee
  • Need help?  Dial our member care team at 855-781-1303

How do I learn more about the Care.com benefit?

Who do I contact if I have questions about Care.com?

  • If you have questions about this benefit, please contact Care.com at 855.781.1303.

Additional Care.com Resources