WorkLife

Bright Horizons backup care

Last updated: August 7, 2024

Announcement: The Bright Horizons backup care benefit is changing – starting Aug. 12, 2024, reimbursable backup care will only be available if in-center and in-home care are unavailable.

If your regular caregiver is unavailable or you are between childcare arrangements, backup care is available to fill in the gaps. Backup care can also be used if you need extra support to focus on a work or school project or care for another family member.

Backup care overview

  • PEBB-eligible employees and students are eligible for backup childcare through Bright Horizons at locations throughout Puget Sound and nationwide.
  • Eligible employees and UW students have a total of five backup care uses through Bright Horizons
  • Backup care is provided on a first-come, first-served basis and availability is not guaranteed.
  • Calendar year usage allotments reset annually on January 1.

Bright Horizons backup care

Bright Horizons provides two care options. You may use a combination of these two services up to five times per calendar year:

In-center backup care costs $20 per child and $35 per family per day. Up to 3 children using in center backup care for up to 10 hours would count as one use. Find care in centers throughout the Puget Sound and nationwide through Bright Horizons expansive partner network. This benefit also includes summer camps and school aged childcare options.

In-home care costs $32 for up to four hours of care. Each additional hour costs $8. With in-home childcare, Bright Horizons will arrange for a nanny to come to your home and care for your loved ones.

To register

PEBB-eligible employees and GAIP-eligible students: Before using backup care, take the following steps to register with Bright Horizons and create your personal account:

  1. On the sign in page, click “Sign Up”
  2. Enter UnivWa in the Employer Username field.
  3. Enter 4Backup in the Employer Password field.
  4. Create your personal Bright Horizons username and password.
  5. Enter your family’s information.

Students who are not GAIP-eligible: To register for backup care, email childcare@uw.edu requesting access to Bright Horizons backup care. Include your name, UW NetID, preferred email, phone number and your UW student ID number in your message.

If you have problems registering, call Bright Horizons at 877-242-2737.

Requesting care

Once you’ve registered, you will receive instructions about how to request your backup care.

You are strongly encouraged to request in-home and center-based care as far in advance as possible and to request care at all centers that can possibly work for your family. Requests may be made 60 days before you need services. Many providers allow instant booking and selecting that option will confirm your care immediately.

Backup care cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to the date of care to avoid charges. If you need to cancel your appointment, do so before 5 p.m. on the day prior to your scheduled care. If you cancel after this deadline, you’ll be billed for all the hours you originally scheduled.

If in-home or in-center care are unavailable, out-of-network reimbursable care will allow you to secure care from within your own personal network (a neighbor, friend, or babysitter) and receive a reimbursement of $100 per day.