What are Backup Care Benefits?

Backup care benefits are a reliable safety net for unexpected caregiving disruptions. These benefits ensure that employees with caregiving responsibilities do not sacrifice work commitments.

Understanding Backup Care

Backup care benefits give employees a set number of care hours that can be utilized when regular care arrangements fall through or unexpected work demands arise. Employees can request care with as little as three hours' notice for last-minute needs due to caregiver illness, sudden school closures, after-hours meetings, and the like. 

Typically, these hours are subsidized by the employer, significantly reducing or completely eliminating the financial burden on employees.

Case Example

Implementing backup care requires working with a care benefits provider that offers a range of backup care options. For instance, Company XYZ partners with us at Helpr to provide 120 hours of backup care per year to an employee and their immediate family, including their parents and children. 

The employee needs to work late due to a critical project deadline and the regular after-school care program ends before they can leave the office. The employee can instantly access their backup hours to book last-minute care through the Helpr app, allowing them to continue working with minimal disruption. Moreover, Company XYZ subsidizes the majority of this care, significantly reducing the cost to the employee to just $3 per hour. 

The Impact

The impact of backup care is evident. This added support helps employees feel cared for by their employer while boosting their workplace performance. Here are a few testimonials from employees who have benefited from Helpr's services:

• “When daycare was closed due to a COVID exposure, I was able to use Helpr to pay for a backup caregiver.”
• “We have loved using the app and have only positive things to say about Helpr's dedicated team of customer service representatives … if we had had more hours to use we would have exhausted them too!”
• “Super helpful to have this as an added employee benefit to help out when care gaps arise during the month.”
• “Helpr has been a great benefit to help me with very unexpected and high costs of home health care for my adult family member.  The app is very easy to use … In a time where many other parts of the process felt out of control, this has been a great peace of mind.”
• “Great to get the subsidized benefit, makes me more happy with my company, so glad we have it.”

Backup care benefits not only enhance employee well-being and satisfaction but also deliver significant advantages for employers. A recent case study highlights that our backup care benefits at Helpr resulted in high utilization and an average ROI of 280% in 2023. 

The Broad Benefits of Backup Care

Backup care benefits enable employees to handle unexpected caregiving disruptions without compromising their professional responsibilities. By offering this support, employers enhance workplace stability and demonstrate a commitment to the well-being of their employees. As these benefits continue to prove their value, they become indispensable in building a loyal and resilient workforce.