CU Boulder has partnered with Bright Horizons to help employees better manage work, family and personal responsibilities. Beginning April 1, 2022 permanent faculty, staff and graduate students on appointment have access to an added back-up care benefit through our existing Bright Horizons partnership. 

Visit the HR Website for FAQ's and Additional Details

Back-Up Child, Adult, and Elder Care

Bright Horizons Back-Up Care can be used anytime you need to be at work, but your family member needs assistance or support. Eligible employees can reserve high-quality child care in a center, or in-home care for child, adult, or elder relatives. 

Examples of when you may 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 may use back-up adult and elder care include:

• Your parent’s regular in-home care provider is unavailable.
• 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.

CU Boulder Benefit 

Eligible employees receive ten uses per calendar year. A use equals a day of in-center care, a day of in-home care up to 8 hours, or a four hour block of online tutoring. 

In-home caregivers are screened, background checked, employed, trained, and supervised by the network providers, and operate in compliance with all requirements of applicable laws, regulations, and licensing requirements. 

Network Centers are licensed as required under applicable law, fully furnished and equipped care centers which operate with caregiver ratios which equal or are below ratios mandated by state licensing requirements.

Employee Responsibility

Employee’s have a modest co-pay to take advantage of the back-up care benefit. 

• In-center care:  $15 for one child , $25 for family/ more than one child 
• In- home copay : $6/hour (4 hour minimum per use)

How it Works

1. Visit the Bright Horizons client portal and create an account using your employee ID (if you do not know your Employee ID, you can look it up in MyCUInfo).
2. Select Back-Up Care from your available benefits. 
3. Create your care profile. 
4. When ready, make a reservation for care. 

In addition, 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.