Emergency/Backup Family Care

Use backup care with Bright Horizons when a lapse in regular caregiving arrangements would prevent you from working. This could be a sick caregiver, needing help after a medical procedure, a shift change or if your school or daycare is closed. You can reserve care for a child, an adult, or yourself. 

• You have access to 20 backup care uses each calendar year.  Unused days do not roll over to the following year.
• You may reserve any type of care on the same day care is needed, or up to 60 days in advance.
• The person receiving care can be anyone for whom you have caregiving responsibilities.  They do not have to be your legal dependent.

You are eligible for Backup Care Benefits if you are:

• A regular faculty member with an appointment of 50% or more of the required full-time faculty workload.
• A regular staff employee whose standard work schedule is 20 or more hours per week.
• A postdoctoral associate; or postdoctoral research scholar who receives payments from WashU.
• A clinical fellow who receives payments from WashU.
• A full-time graduate or professional student.
• A Washington University Medical School Resident

How to Use Backup Care

Register and set up an account here.  You will complete a Care Profile, and designate a means for paying co-pays. 

After you’re registered, log in here to reserve care.   Click on the tile for the type of care you need and follow the prompts.  You can also reserve care by calling 1-877-242-2737 or by downloading and using the Bright Horizons mobile app.  (You may not reserve Reimbursable Care on the phone app.)

Three options for Backup care for a child:  

• Care at a quality childcare center.  Co-pay is $20/day for one child, $30/day for two or more children.
• Care in your home.  Bright Horizons sends an experienced, screened caregiver to your home.  Co-pay is $7/hour, with a four-hour minimum.
• Reimbursable Care.  Pay your own caregiver and be reimbursed $150 for each day of use.  For detailed instructions on using Reimbursable Care, please click here.  (Immediate family members may not be paid caregivers.) Please note:  You must reserve Reimbursable Care before care occurs.  This can include the morning of the day care will be needed.

Two options for care for an older adult or for yourself.

• Care in your home, or the home of the older adult, provided by an experienced, screened caregiver sent by Bright Horizons.
• Reimbursable Care.  Pay your own caregiver and be reimbursed $150 for each day of use.  For detailed instructions on using Reimbursable Care, please click here.  (Immediate family members may not be paid caregivers.) Please note:  You must reserve Reimbursable Care before care occurs.  This can include the morning of the day care will be needed.

Tax Implications

Any taxable wages attributable to the utilization of backup care will be reported on your W-2 for the year. Please consult your tax advisor for guidance. The fair market value for child backup care services is $150 per day, minus any copays.