The Backup Dependent Care program provides US employees with 40 hours of backup dependent care per year when their usual arrangements fail unexpectedly. The program also helps employees locate a qualified care provider for their dependents, including aging parents, children, spouses or domestic partners.
Luckily for people in a pinch, the process can work very quickly. Said Gershik, "I got the referral, called to double-check the hours and location, and brought Sarah in before work started that day. When I got to the office, I said, 'I love working for Accenture—I can't even believe what a great program they provide for us!' This is one of the best benefits that we have as a company."
Amy Goring, a senior executive in Florham Park, New Jersey., found herself in a similar situation when she was told on a Thursday night that her nanny would not be available the following morning as planned. "It was stressful," said Goring. "I was running a big meeting the next day, and neither my husband nor I could take the day off to be with our daughter." She called the Backup Dependent Care program, which quickly helped her secure an in-home provider. "A very nice lady showed up on time the next morning, and since she was from an accredited company, I wasn't worried about Rowen's safety."
If backup care had not been available, said Goring, "I would have had to ask a neighbor to watch Rowen along with their kids—which would have been an awfully big request on short notice, and harder for my daughter too."
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