Corporate Backup Care FAQs
Pinch Hitter Backup Dependent Care FAQs
What is Pinch Hitter?
Pinch Hitter is A New England Nanny’s corporate backup care program that provides nationwide corporations and local businesses the opportunity to offer dependent backup care as an employee benefit to its workforce. It is a service that provides emergency/temporary backup child care and senior care for families to help them keep work obligations when their dependent is sick, when the usual care provider has cancelled at the last minute, or other last-minute care issues arise.
When can an employee use Pinch Hitter?
Examples of when an employee can use the service include:
- A child, spouse or parent is mildly ill and needs to recuperate at home.
- A child has a contagious illness preventing school attendance.
- Regular child or senior care is disrupted.
- They have an overnight business trip or weekend meeting.
- They need to attend approved work functions.
- Schools close for weather or holidays.
Why should a company offer Pinch Hitter?
Pinch Hitter is beneficial for an organization that wants to:
- Address work-family balance issues with an immediate solution.
- Reduce unexpected employee absenteeism rate.
- Add an employee benefit package that will help with recruitment and retention.
How does Pinch Hitter benefit employees?
- If an employee does not have family in the area or a source of back-up care, Pinch Hitter is a solution
- Screened, experienced, and professional caregivers, as well as agency support
- Helps employees balance their work/family commitments, 24hrs/day, 7 days/week
- Convenience: requests for care can be made Sundays 5pm-9pm, Monday-Thursday 6am-9pm, and Fridays 6am-9pm
- Priority access and priority service for in-home back-up care assistance
- Immediate response to urgent/last minute requests
- Local agency with local, thoroughly screened caregivers
How does Pinch Hitter benefit the company?
- Employees retain ability to honor work commitments with minimal disruption
- Typical loss of productive “work” is 5.4 days per year per employee, due to unexpected child/senior care needs
- ROI for the company
- Boosted morale: employees can use their time off for themselves and not for child/senior care issues
- Administration of provider’s subsidiary including mandated employment taxes & insurance, workers’ compensation, liability insurance, etc.
How does the company track Pinch Hitter use and how does the company pay for it?
A New England Nanny will provide:
- Online utilization reports
- Monthly reporting of usage to date vs. targets
- Quarterly invoicing
What kinds of care can be provided?
For a sick child, care is available for common temporary illnesses including: colds, ear infections, minor injuries, pink eye, strep throat, urinary tract infections, and fevers. Care may be refused if the condition of your child is beyond the scope of mild illness. For infections, children must be on antibiotics for at least 24 hours before care can be provided.
For an elderly parent, care is available for companionship, chores, light housekeeping, and errands. No personal or medical is permitted.
How do employees schedule services?
Step 1: Register for free at https://bit.ly/pinchhittercare.
Step 2: Call (518) 453-1000 as soon as you know you need care, whether in advance or last-minute.
Care is available on a first come, first served basis.
Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm
On-Call Hours: Mon-Thurs 6am-8:30am; Mon-Thurs 6pm-9pm; Sun 5pm-9pm – Leave a message and we will respond within 15 minutes.
If calling outside On-Call hours, we’ll respond during the next On-Call hours.
How does a company start the process?
A New England Nanny will come to the workplace and provide on-site program registration and introductory sessions. Companies can offer this benefit as part of their open enrollment process.
What else do employees need to know?
The agency will charge the employee for the hourly rate of services, which includes the caregiver’s travel time.
Care may be limited on snow days as inclement weather may prevent caregivers from driving.
Transportation of children is not permitted at any time.
