CU Boulder has partnered with Bright Horizons to help employees better manage work, family, and personal responsibilities. There are two programs available to eligible employees:
- Back-Up Child, Adult, and Elder Care
- Enhanced Family Supports
Who is Eligible? Permanent faculty, staff, graduate students on an active appointment, and CU System Administration staff.
Back-Up Child, Adult, and Elder Care
Eligible Employees have 10 uses per calendar year for back-up child, adult, and elder care.
What is a use?
- Drop-in center care: 1 day, no matter the number of hours
- In-home care: up to 10 hours
- 4-hour block of online tutoring (have 90 days to use the block of hours)ĚýĚýĚý
Employees are responsible for a copay, paid at the time of care via the portal:
- In-center copay: $15/child or $25/family (2+ children) per use
- In-home copay: $6/hour (4 hour minimum per use)
- Tutoring copay: $15 per 4 hours
Enhanced Family Supports
In addition to back-up child, adult, and elder care, the Enhanced Family Supports program through Bright Horizons will continue. This includes:
- Sittercity membership: Access to a nationwide network of caregivers with profiles.
- Years Ahead membership: Understand and find the right level of care for their aging loved ones.
- Preferred enrollment status at community-accepting Bright Horizons child care centers.
- Tuition discounts at participating partner centers nationwide.
- Tutoring and camp discounts at participating partner centers nationwide.
​How it Works
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If you previously created an account through the existing Bright Horizons benefit, you will need to create a new account to take advantage of the expanded benefits going forward.
- Visit the Ěýand create an account using your employee ID (if you do not know your Employee ID, you can look it up in MyCUInfo).Ěý
- Create your care profile:
- Employee profile: Provide your relevant contact and employment information.
- Care recipients: Enter your relationship, care location(s), and health information, and download/complete any required care forms.
- Authorized contacts: Add any adults (e.g., spouse/partner, grandparent, friend) as emergency contacts and/or individuals who are authorized to pick up care recipients.
- Care locations: You can choose locations near your home and/or along your work route.
- When ready, make a reservation for care.
General Back-Up Care Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Bright Horizons Back-Up Care?
- What type of back-up care is available?
- Where is back-up care available?
- Who is considered an adult or elder relative?
- What is the age limit for care recipients?
- How do I pay for the service?
- Can I use a flexible spending account (FSA) to pay the copay associated with care?
- If my child becomes sick and has to leave the care facility, will I receive a refund for that day of care?
- What is the cancellation policy?
- Will my employer know that I am using the benefit?
- If I work non-traditional hours, such as evenings and weekends, can I still use the benefit?
- If I do not use all of my back-up care allotment during the year, does it roll over?
- Why do I have to make a reservation?
- How can I provide feedback regarding my care experience?
- When do new employees get access to the benefit?
Bright Horizons Back-Up Care can be used anytime you need to be at work, but your family member needs assistance or support.
Examples of when you can use back-up child care include:
- Your child’s school or center is closed.
- You have a change in your work schedule and need in-home child care for evening and weekend hours.
- You are in between child care arrangements.
- Your regular caregiver is unavailable.
Examples of when you can use back-up adult and elder care include:
- Your parent’s regular in-home care provider is unavailable.
- Your grandparents live out of state and need assistance.
- Your parents live with your sister…and your sister has a temporary conflict and is unable to care for them.
- Your mother-in-law is in the hospital and you would like someone to be with her for support.
- Your spouse or partner (or other adult family member) is recovering from an injury or surgery and needs assistance.
- You are recuperating from an injury or surgery and need assistance for yourself.
Care in high-quality centers for well children, screened in-home caregivers for children, and in-home adult and elder care is available. Care recipients may include infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, teens, and adult and elderly family members.
The benefit gives you access to a nationwide network of high-quality, licensed child care centers, including hundreds of accredited Bright Horizons child care centers across the United States. Chances are high that there are options near your home and your work site. In addition, we have partnerships with 650 in-home care agencies that employ a total of nearly 200,000 experienced caregivers who travel up to 35 miles to provide care in your home or the home of your relative. Care options depend on the availability of these network providers in your area. While care is not guaranteed, Bright Horizons will make every effort to accommodate your reservation request.
Any adult or elder relative for whom you have care responsibilities is covered. This could be a parent, grandparent, spouse or domestic partner, in-law, adult child, etc.
For center care, age limits will vary by location. Most centers can serve children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age; some serve children through age 12. For in-home care, there is no age limit.
Any applicable copayments are collected by Bright Horizons. Visit Ěýand select “Use It” on the Reserve Back-Up Care tile prior to making a care reservation to learn more about your employer’s specific copay policy and collection method.
If there are copays, they must be paid with a standard payment method. Often, copays may be reimbursable through your FSA program (subject to the terms of your employer’s FSA provider). In order to get reimbursed, you must submit the proper paperwork to your FSA vendor.
As with any child care program, if your child becomes sick while at the child care facility, you will need to remove your child to prevent the illness from spreading to other children. There will be no monetary refund or credit to your back-up care allotment.
You must cancel by 5:00 p.m. local time at least two (2) business days before the date of care. For example, care requested for a Friday must be canceled by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. If care is canceled after 5:00 p.m. local time two (2) business days before the date of care, you will be charged the use against your annual limit and any applicable copayment will be collected per your employer’s benefit parameters.
Yes, Bright Horizons will provide monthly utilization reports to your employer to show who has registered for and used the benefit.
Evening and weekend care (typically in-home) is available and your company’s standard benefit details will apply. However, you must be working during the time care is needed.
No, your annual allowance of back-up care must be used during your allocated use year. Any unused days are forfeited.
Reservations allow our care consultants to secure the type of care you need, on the specific day(s) that you need care, and also alert the care provider to the specific needs of your family so he or she is prepared. You can make reservations for back-up care in advance of the date care if needed. See the back-up care website for details. Reserve care either online via the Bright Horizons benefit website, through the back-up care mobile app, or by calling our contact center. When you need to make a reservation for back-up care by phone, a care consultant will ask you a few questions to fully understand your needs, such as information about your family member, when you need care, and the location where care is needed. The care consultant will review potential options with you and make the arrangements with the provider on your behalf. You will then receive a confirmation of care email including details of the care arrangements.
Your feedback is a critical part in helping us manage the quality and experience people have when using this program. We will email you a link to a survey following the last date of care each time you schedule care with us. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey and let us know how we’re doing. In addition, feedback can be provided through the Back-Up Care site on each reservation for care, in the feedback link within your completed reservation list.
New employees will have access to the benefit after the 12th of the month. If an employee's start date is after the 12th, the new employee will get access on the 12th of the following month.Ěý
In-Home Back-Up Child, Adult, and Elder Care Frequently Asked Questions
- When can I use in-home care for my child?
- When can I use in-home care for my adult and elder family members?
- How can I be assured the in-home caregivers provide a safe environment?
- Can I set up a “meet and greet” with an in-home caregiver prior to needing care?
- Who is authorized to greet and release the in-home caregiver?
- Can the in-home caregiver do light housekeeping?
- Can the in-home caregiver prepare meals?
- Can the in-home provider administer medication?
- Can the in-home caregiver provide transportation?
- Can the in-home caregiver engage in outdoor activities with my family member?
- Are visitors allowed to come to my home while I am using in-home care?
- If I am traveling for work and need to bring my child, is care available in my hotel room?
In-home child care can be used when you prefer to have care take place in your home, rather than in a child care center. One in-home caregiver can care for up to three children.
In-home adult and elder care is available to cover a wide variety of care needs. In-home care is provided to your adult or elder family member in the comfort of his or her own home (or assisted living facility) and is available anywhere in the U.S. within established proximity of our in-home care agency partners. Any adult or elder for whom you have care-giving responsibilities is covered.
Some reasons you may choose to use in-home care for adult and elder family members include:
Respite care – which is perfect if your adult or elder family member’s normal caregiver is not available, or if that primary caregiver needs a day outside the house.
Recovery care – which is a great option if your adult or elder family member has had minor surgery and needs a caregiver for the first few days of recovery at home.
In-home care is designed to provide comforting, individualized care for your child, adult, or elder relative in the familiar surroundings of home. When your family member is in need of temporary care or assistance, our qualified caregivers provide in-home support so you can get to work free of worry.
There is no age limit for in-home care. In-home caregivers are all employed by Bright Horizons or the agencies Bright Horizons has contracted with and they are professionally trained, screened, and credentialed. Experienced in child or geriatric care, caregivers are carefully selected and meet stringent credentialing requirements, pass extensive background checks and screening processes, and are trained in CPR/First Aid.
As in any situation where third parties have access to your home while you are out, please take reasonable precautions to secure your cash, credit cards, and other valuables or information of a financial nature.
You may request to set up a “meet and greet” with the caregiver in advance; however, we cannot guarantee that the specific caregiver you meet will be available on a day when you actually need back-up care. When a “meet and greet” is scheduled, your employer’s specific policies would apply for the caregiver to come to your house. All applicable care minimums apply. Please note: it is also a requirement for caregivers to contact you prior to care to introduce themselves, discuss your child or adult or elder relative’s care needs, and more.
When the scheduled care is for a child, an adult (at least 18 years of age) must be present both when the caregiver arrives and departs. The adult must be someone who is willing to take responsibility for the care recipient(s) should the caregiver fail to arrive or otherwise be unable to provide care at the last minute. This can include, but is not limited to, a parent or guardian, a grandparent, an adult sibling, or a friend of the family. The adult, or adults, must be identified at the time care is requested.
The parent or guardian must take responsibility for greeting and/or releasing the caregiver in the event that the adult designated is unable to perform that function. Adult care recipients generally do not require a designated greet and release individual.
An in-home caregiver can perform light housekeeping as it relates to the care of the care recipient only. Light housekeeping normally includes: cleaning the kitchen after meal/snack preparation, straightening up family/living room and child’s room (if the child has played in the room during the day), etc. Light housekeeping does not include the following: vacuuming, laundry, dusting, cleaning of restrooms/bathing areas, etc. The only time a caregiver may provide any of the above services is when the care recipient has created a mess requiring the above services.
An in-home caregiver can prepare meals as it relates to the care of the care recipient only. Meal preparation normally includes: cooking meals and preparing snacks for the care recipient to be eaten during the hours of care. Meal preparation does not include preparing meals for upcoming days/weeks or preparing meals for other family members not using the benefit.
In-home caregivers may not dispense prescription or over-the-counter medication directly to any care recipient in their care. Caregivers may apply non-prescription topical ointments to a care recipient in their care. Caregivers are only allowed to remind the adult/elder care recipient to take his or her pre-measured medication at an assigned time where authorized by the employee. You may make other arrangements for third parties to dispense medications (such as a neighbor), provided the caregiver is notified in advance.
In-home care professionals that can dispense medication vary by state regulations, but generally are Registered Nurses (RNs) or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). Medical care must be requested at the time the reservation is placed and an additional fee of $50 per hour (1 hour minimum) will apply if dispensing of medication and/or certain medical procedures (including wound care) are required for the care provided.
Caregivers may not transport any care recipient in a private vehicle. Caregivers are only allowed to accompany a care recipient using public transportation (i.e. taxi, bus, train, or special transit) when required in connection with the care provided and only with the prior authorization of the employee and notification of Bright Horizons. In the case of adult or elder care, caregivers are allowed to accompany a care recipient when driven in a private vehicle by the care recipient or an acceptable family member or acquaintance of the care recipient.
Caregivers are required to provide care for care recipients in the homes of employees, the adult or elder relative, or other authorized locations. Caregivers may leave the premises only with your prior authorization. Outdoor activities are limited by the transportation policy.
No visitors are permitted on the premises without your prior authorization. No authorized visitors may be under 18 years of age (unless they reside in the home). Authorized individuals must provide photo identification in order to be given access to the care recipient.
Yes. Care that takes place at a hotel is provided by our in-home agency network. With approval from you, the caregiver and the care recipient(s) are allowed to leave the room during care.
Center-Based Back-Up Child Care Frequently Asked Questions
All the child care centers that provide back-up care meet stringent quality requirements and are licensed by the state in which they operate. Each center offers a developmentally appropriate curriculum led by qualified teachers, follows strict health and safety policies, and ensures appropriate teacher-to-child ratios for each age group.
These centers are specifically designed to provide a warm, inviting, and engaging environment where children actively explore and participate. Teachers in back-up care settings are specially trained to tune into your child’s needs and interests, to help you comfortably transition at drop-off time, and to help your child feel welcome, secure, and at ease in what is usually an unfamiliar and new environment.
Once you schedule care, you will need to complete some information and forms to submit to the center. The specific materials required vary based on state and local requirements but may include birth certificate, immunization records, and primary care physician contact information. The information is required by state licensing for the safety and care of your child and must be completed and given to the center in order to receive back-up care. Our care consultants can provide more details on specific requirements.
Virtual Tutoring Frequently Asked Questions
- Which ages are served by virtual tutoring?
- Who provides the virtual tutoring?
- How much tutoring is provided per reservation?
- How much does tutoring through back-up care cost?
- Can tutoring hours be scheduled at different days and times?
- Do virtual tutoring requests count toward my back-up care use bank?
- Can I reserve tutors for multiple children?
- What is the cancellation policy for virtual tutoring reservations?
Tutoring is available for your dependents aged 5-18.
Tutoring providers are selected based on their quality, learning platform, and breadth of topics.ĚýVarsity Tutors and Sylvan Learning are two nationally recognized tutoring providers and our current partners for this program. Learn more about these providers here: .
Each tutoring has 4 hours that can be used in 1 hour blocks.
The cost is $15 per 4 hours.
Yes! You receive 4 hours of tutoring for each back-up care use and can schedule tutoring in 1-hour increments according to your child’s needs.
Yes. Virtual tutoring requests will be deducted from your back-up care use bank.
Yes, but the sessions must be for the same subject and grade. You can schedule multiple sessions for different children.
When you request “virtual tutoring” through the back-up care website, you effectively “trade” a use of back-up care for tutoring hours. At that point, the hours are credited to your tutoring account and any adjustments to your tutoring schedule will be managed with the tutoring provider. You have lots of flexibility in scheduling and using the tutoring hours you receive. The hours will remain in your tutoring provider account for 90 days and can be scheduled in small increments according to your needs.
Enhanced Family Supports Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between back-up care and Sittercity/Years Ahead?
- What services are included with the Sittercity benefit?
- Will use of the Sittercity benefit impact the use limit I have for Bright Horizons Back-Up Care™?
- What is the typical cost of care on Sittercity?
- Will use of this benefit impact the use limit I have for Bright Horizons Back-Up Care™?
- Will I get a refund for fees paid as a retail customer?
- What is the typical cost of care on Sittercity?
- What kind of background checks do I have access to?
- What pet care services do I have access to through Sittercity?
- What services do I have access to through Years Ahead?
- What will Years Ahead help me with?
- What resources are available to me through Years Ahead?
Back-up care is care arranged and provided through Network Providers via the Bright Horizons reservation process. The employee is responsible for a modest co-pay. With Sittercity and Years Ahead, employees are responsible for searching for, arranging, and paying for the full cost of care.
Your free premium Sittercity membership enables you to quickly find babysitters, housekeepers, pet care, and moreĚýand includes unlimited basic background checks at no cost. The service also includes online forums, tools, and resources that will help you choose someone that meets your preferences and needs for occasional and everyday child care, care for children with special needs, household help, and even dog walkers.
No. Your use of Sittercity does not impact your back-up care use allowance. Many people find that Sittercity is a great solution for finding care once you have used all of the annual back-up care visits available through your employer.
The cost of care varies based on geographic region, type, number of children or pets, and age of care recipients (i.e., infant care prices often differ from the cost of care for school-age children). Sittercity offers a rate calculator in the Trust and Safety Center, which can help you determine market pricing for the services you need. You can indicate a preferred hourly rate when posting a job and work with caregivers that best fit your financial requirements.
No. Your use of Sittercity does not impact your back-up care use allowance. Many people find that Sittercity is a great solution for finding care once you have used all of the annual back-up care visits available through your employer.
Please contact Sittercity Membership Services at 1-888-748-2489 for help with receiving a pro- rated refund.
The cost of care varies based on geographic region, type, number of children or pets, and age of care recipients (i.e., infant care prices often differ from the cost of care for school-age children). Sittercity offers a rate calculator in the Trust and Safety Center, which can help you determine market pricing for the services you need. You can indicate a preferred hourly rate when posting a job and work with caregivers that best fit your financial requirements.
You can run basic background checks for free through your employer benefit, receive discounts on enhanced background checks, and view results of those you previously completed.
As part of your free Sittercity membership, you can easily use the online database to find options for all your pet care needs — dog walking; coordinating check-ins, visits, pick-ups, and drop-offs; pet sitters and/or overnight care; bathing, grooming, and training resources; and more.
Years Ahead connects you with elder care tools and resources — including search tools and referrals. Your Bright Horizons benefits include free access to this online elder care platform.
Through Years Ahead, you can take a needs assessment online for your loved one, learn about elder care options, access elder care resources, and get guidance in finding senior care providers near you or your loved one.
Through Years Ahead, you can search a nationwide network of senior care providers that includes in-home agencies, independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, memory care, and nursing homes. You can browse providers’ profiles, which may include program information, photos, experience and capabilities, pricing, and reviews. The site also offers articles, cost calculators, and other tools to help you make informed decisions about care for your loved one.