SERVICE AND MISSION

Babysitters of Boulder LLC connects parents with our vetted team of skilled and reliable local sitters and nannies. We base our recruitment decisions on each applicant's qualifications, references, background check results, and kind, polite and engaged demeanor during interview. We do not tolerate harassment, and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, gender identity, age, sexual preference, religion, creed or political beliefs.

​​

1. AGENCY PROMISES AND STANDARDS

We strive to support providers by:

• setting hourly rates at a professional living wage & adhering to overtime pay laws 

• maintaining a 48 hour cancellation policy and holding deposits for contracts 

• using thoughtfully written contracts and policies that support sitter and nanny success

• providing sitters and nannies with continuing education on childcare and children's safety

• offering opportunities to volunteer together & meet fellow nannies and sitters

• posting and maintaining the PARENT CONDUCT AGREEMENT (below) 

​

2. PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT AGREEMENT 

• agree to pay babysitter in a timely manner and in full upon completion of the booking

• agree not to have a provider supervise extra children or playdates that are not listed in their booking 

• agree to treat providers with respect and be mindful of a provider's time

• agree to be respectful of a provider's time off, and to exchange childcare information during paid work hours

​​

3. SICK CHILD AND FAMILY ILLNESS POLICY 

We can care for children who are not feeling well, with some limitations. Parents agree not to book if a child has:​​​

• lice

• fever (parents may request an exception in advance for a low grade teething fever only)

• shortness of breath/difficulty breathing 

• excessive/frequent vomiting or diarrhea 

• home from school/daycare due to classroom closure as the result of a COVID exposure

• symptoms of COVID-19, including but not limited to persistent/significant cough, loss of taste or smell, etc. 

• diagnosis of very contagious illness such as chicken pox, whooping cough, E. coli infection, pink eye, etc. 

 

Parents may book care if their child only has a runny nose. 

 

Parents agree to notify the agency and you in advance if anyone in the home unwell or child is kept home from school/daycare, to help us determine if we can safely dispatch a provider. Parents agree to notify the agency and you in advance if a child is not sick but has a symptom that is due to seasonal allergies, asthma etc.

​

You may use your best judgement. It is acceptable to assess if a symptom could be due to allergies, asthma, altitude, etc. Many Colorado visitors (hotel clients) experience congestion, headache, etc. Teething children can have a a runny nose, sore throat, very low grade fever, or significant diaper rash. Please the agency immediately at (303) 749-1168 if you arrive at a booking and have concern of exposure to COVID-19 or that a child is too ill to be in sitter care. 

​

COVID-19 INFORMATION

Vaccination is required (religious/medical exemption only). Please adhere to current CDC guidelines and local safety mandates when working. A parent may ask you to wear a mask indoors during babysitting. A documented medical reason is the only exception to excuse any provider from wearing a mask. We do not have a policy requiring long term/permanent nanny to wear a mask. Please discuss this with a potential nanny family/employer prior to accepting a long term contract. 

​

Per Colorado Revised Statute § 25-1.5-102(1), we cannot send you to babysit at locations where a child or any member of the client's family is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or has had known exposure within 7 to 10 days. ​​​​

​

4. YOU AGREE THAT YOU:

• are at least 18 years of age

• have a minimum of 3 years of childcare and/or children's education experience 

• have a clean background check and driving record and will notify us of any change

• have completed pediatric CPR/First Aid certification and agree to re-certify every two years

• have current insurance, valid license, & access to a reliable vehicle for work and children's transport

• are vaccinated against COVID-19 and agree to adhere to current state and county mandates while working 

​​

5. CONDUCT & PROFESSIONALISM 

You agree to:

• be responsible for the bookings you claim & arrive on time

• wash hands immediately before starting work and before preparing food

• supervise children in an engaged way & follow parent instructions for activities, outings, daily duties, appropriate discipline etc.

• never attend a booking smelling of cigarette, vape or marijuana smoke 

• generally put away cell phone during a booking and limit use to communicating with parents or urgent reasons only​

• promptly notify the agency in advance if you need to cancel a booking; we cannot accept non-urgent cancellation reasons such as car won't start, studying for a test, changed your mind, etc. 

• let the agency know right away if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or exposure, and refrain from taking bookings if sick - we do not want you to go to bookings with symptoms or try to "work through it"

​​

WORK APPEARANCE ​

We do not have a uniform or required t-shirt. You are free to dress in the way that you believe represents your experience and competence, and makes sense for the active physical work of childcare:​

• refrain from perfumes or very strong scents (for children's skin sensitivity/respiratory safety) 

• avoid high heels & go for footwear appropriate for bending, jumping, running, getting down on the floor with kids, etc.

• practical clothing that is presentable yet ok to be soiled with craft materials/washable paint, baby spit-up etc.

​​

BREAKS & MEALS​

• be prepared to bring your own food/snacks; many parents do offer food but we do not assume food will be provided

• providers are encouraged to take a reasonable active break (paid) during downtime while children nap/play independently & avoid burnout

• please use remaining downtime for reasonable tasks such as children's laundry, sweep/tidy kitchen, load/unload dishwasher, tidy or organize children's areas & toys, and plan activities for the children. Please do not use extra downtime for schoolwork or other jobs unless kids are in bed and kid's areas/kitchen is tidied for the next day.

​

CONFIDENTIALITY and SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY​​​​

• You agree that family information, including but not limited to medical, financial or legal information, is confidential. Parent/guardian consent is always required to post any image of a child's face/likeness.

• This shall never prohibit you from reporting concerns of abuse, neglect, or any type of crime to children's services, legal authorities or to the agency. You do not need anyone's permission and you are not required to notify the agency prior to reporting. If at any time you have a concern or suspicion of abuse or neglect, you can report to the Colorado Department of Human Services. Information about forms of abuse and neglect is available here. The Colorado Abuse And Neglect Hotline at 1- 844-CO-4-Kids (844‑264‑5437). This hotline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your report is confidential. Anyone witnessing a child in a life-threatening situation should call 911 immediately.

• As a member of our team you may be privy to agency documents, forms, tools and materials, such as our nanny contract, team member orientation and team newsletter. You agree to maintain the confidentiality of all agency materials that are not public on our website.

• Clients (parents/guardians) agree to maintain confidentiality of your personal details and your phone number.

​​

6. VETTING, EMPLOYMENT AND TAX INFORMATION

The agency is not an employer. The families you book with will provide your pay, determine the schedule, and decide how they would like you to care for their children. In some cases, the family may qualify as your employer. You are responsible for ensuring that your taxable income is reported in keeping with IRS requirements.

​

BACKGROUND CHECK

We process a background check and a driving record for every person who joins our team and you agree that we have your consent to perform this. Clients who intend to book your services may request to view your background check and/or your DMV record. We will share this information for that sole purpose. 

​

Background check includes: SSN Trace, 7-Year County Criminal Record Search, Multi-State Instant Criminal Check with Verification, and DOJ Sex Offender Search. The DOJ Sex Offender search is a nationwide search through the Federal Department of Justice, which includes registry data covering 49 states, excluding Nevada, which is prohibited by state law, and including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. The 7-Year County Criminal Record Search includes all jurisdictions found in the SSN trace. This search is upgraded to a statewide search, rather than a county search, for a limited set of states including New York, Maine, Vermont, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

​

Our background and DMV record checks are performed through a third party vendor, Chekr, compliant with the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act). You will be able to view your result through your Chekr candidate dashboard & download a copy for your records. 

​

DMV RECORD REVIEW (through Chekr) verifies: 

• Candidate must currently be privileged to drive a passenger vehicle or motorcycle

• No more than 2 accidents in the past 3 years

• No more than 1 moving violation and 1 accident in the past 3 year

• No more than 2 moving violations in the past 3 years

• No cell phone or distracted driving violation in the past 3 years

• No major violation in the past 5 years

• Driver must be over 18​​

​

We do not require team members to make their social media accounts private. Social media depicting Illegal activities, reckless behavior such as drinking and driving, or images/comments depicting mistreatment of children will disqualify you from our group. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to determine if information, images, or public records are disqualifying.

​

POLICY UPDATES 

The policies listed here may be updated from time to time, as needed. Prices of services may be subject to change. At all times, the Terms of Service listed here on the website are the most current and are the Terms that govern. 

7. CLIENT AND PROVIDER RESPONSIBLE USE AGREEMENT

Families who book your service as a babysitter will receive your phone number. Families who meet you through the agency agree to make and purchase all bookings through the agency. Please let the agency know if a client contacts you directly to book childcare service. 

• To book with our current client list, you must be a current provider in good standing. If you leave our agency or are removed for any reason, please do not independently contact and book with families who are current clients.

• If a family independently contacts you for a booking, you must let the agency know. Please do not independently accept client bookings without notifying the agency. 

• You agree that you will not solicit our clients or team members for other services, including but not limited to tupperware sales, makeup or cleaning products, personal training, donations of any kind, political events, church membership, etc. 

​

8. RESERVATION PROCESS AND PAYMENT 

We have a 3 hour minimum for a babysitting reservation. To request care, parents contact the agency or use our online booking system. You will have a sitter account in this booking system and you will be able to see and claim booking requests. When you claim/accept a booking, you receive an email confirmation with the family's profile, contact information/address, and hourly pay rate for that booking.  

​

NEED TO KNOW - HOURLY RATES

Parents pay you directly in full for the booking, at the end of the booking. Please ensure you are paid in full before leaving a booking. You will need to calculate your total: 

• $25.00/hour base rate for up to 2 children

• $28.00/hour for 3 children 

• $32.00/hour for 4 children 

• + $10.00/hour sitter share for 1 additional child from another household (any child who does not live in the home where you are working; +$5.00/hour for each additional child 

• $30.00/hour holiday base rate: Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve (after 4:00 pm), New Year's Day, Valentine's Day (after 4:00 pm), Easter, 4th of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Halloween (after 4:00 pm), Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving).

• $45.00/hour holiday base rate: Christmas Day, Thanksgiving.

• Overnight Rate: $15.00/hour ages 1 year and up, covers up to 4 children, for up to 8 hours (federal wage laws limit overnight rate to 8 hours).

• $18.00/hour ages < 1 year. Does not apply to night nanny care. Does not apply for any hours that children wake and require care.​

​

These rates are important to know. They affect the amount you are owed at the end of your babysitting booking. If you miscalculate a total and overcharge a parent, you must immediately refund the overpayment. It is important to not keep any accidental overpayment, even if the parent tells you to keep it as a tip.  

​

BILLING WHEN A PARENT IS A BIT LATE We can bill in 5 minute increments. For example, if a parent is 3-5 minutes late, you will bill time the parent for one 5 minute increment. Determine billing by:

equation: minutes late/60 minutes in an hour x your hourly rate = additional amount due 

example: 5 minutes late/60 minutes in an hour x $22.00/hour = $1.83 due 

 

Please consider your own start time when you make this calculation. For example, if you were 3 minutes late arriving you will not bill a parent for being 3 minutes late coming home.

​

RELATED COSTS

1. necessary parking charges and required tolls are paid by client

   • you are responsible for ensuring that you only use toll roads when necessary and you are responsible for requesting the payment from the parent 

   • parents do not pay for the toll if you used a toll road for convenience or to avoid being late 

   • paid parking for safety, such as parking at hotel garage and not a dark side street far away, is a necessary charge to be paid by parent

     • if safe lighted nearby parking is available, please use this instead of a paid garage 

   • you are responsible to let us know if a parent declines/refuses to pay necessary charges; the agency may use their deposit to reimburse you

2. if a parent comes homes early, invoice them for the full babysitting booking - parent is responsible to pay you for the full time requested in their original booking

​

Clients/parents agree to all of these terms when they register with our agency. In the very rare event that a client becomes angry or argues with you regarding payment, do not engage. Encourage them to contact the agency with any concerns. Please use your best judgement and remove yourself from unsafe interactions.​

​

9. BABYSITTING CANCELLATION AND CHANGE POLICIES for CLIENTS​

• parents pay their sitter $25.00 for any cancelled sit 

• parents pay their sitter 50% of the total sit for any sit canceled with less than 48 hours notice (3 hour minimum)

• parents pay their sitter the 3-hour minimum for non-emergency cancellations made with less than 48 hours notice ​

• ​changes made with less than 48 hours notice pay the full length of the original booking request 

• exceptions to Cancellation and Change Policy include: family emergency, death in the immediate family, hospitalization, Colorado State of Emergency Declaration, Colorado declaration of severe weather conditions 

  • in advance of severe weather conditions, the agency will make a best effort to contact all clients and discuss possible cancellation in advance

 

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY If you are willing and able to get to a booking and the parent cancels your booking with less than 48 hours notice, you are due the 3-hour minimum. We may make an exception if a State of Emergency for weather or a severe weather warning. You are expected to make every effort to arrive at work on time, however you are not expected to drive when it would be dangerous i.e. blizzard warnings or flash floods. In advance of such weather conditions, the agency will contact booked clients in advance and make a cancellation decision.

 

In the event of a severe weather warning, the agency may, at its sole discretion, cancel bookings if we determine that travel presents an unreasonable hazard or the Colorado governor advises all non-urgent driving/travel to stop. We will provide you with as much advance notice as possible. In this instance you will not receive a cancellation fee & the agency will also forfeit revenue. This decision will be made in the best interest of safety. We will make effort to ensure that childcare is maintained for essential workers such as hospital staff or firefighters.

​

10. CANCELLATION AND CHANGE POLICIES for PROVIDERS

1. you agree to promptly notify the agency, asap, if you may need to cancel a booking or a job interview, at (303) 749-1168.  The agency will notify the parent and arrange a substitute babysitter if needed. Do not email a cancellation.

   • Let us know as soon as possible and as early in the day as possible, right away. Please do not not wait until evening.

   • If it is too late or too early to notify just the agency, i.e. you wake up sick at 5:00 am or something happens in the evening, notify the parent AND the agency immediately. Above all, never be a "no show."

   • Even with notice, bookings cancelled for non-emergency reasons may result in you being removed from the agency. We take into account overall performance, attendance and the reason for cancellation.

2. If you have a nanny contract and need to be absent, please notify the parent as early as possible so that they can make arrangements.​

3. If your job interview with a family is also a babysitting booking, i.e. the parent is expecting childcare coverage from you that day, please plan to complete the booking as a sit even if you change your mind about the job offer.

4. We cannot accept cancellation reasons such as car won't start, studying for a test, or a friend came to town. You agree to use all transportation means necessary to arrive at a booking on time. If you cancel for these types of reasons we may end your membership.

5. Reasons for cancelling a confirmed booking must adhere to our Terms of Service. We do not cancel a booking because we disagree with a family's religious views, political views, sexual orientation, etc. We cannot cancel because a parent asked for the sitter to wear a mask.

6. Cancelling due to COVID-19 symptoms or exposure is encouraged! You must still notify the agency at (303) 749-1168 as soon as possible. You must notify us if you are going to get a COVID-19 test that will conflict with a scheduled booking. You cannot go to any babysitting or nanny work while your test result is pending. 

​

11. HOW TO REPORT CONCERNS OR GRIEVANCES

• Report grievances or concerns during business hours by email (help@babysittersofboulder.com), text or phone to (303) 749.1168.

• You can report emergency/urgent concerns any time. If you have a concern of abuse, neglect, or any type of crime, you can report to children's services or to legal authorities, at the Colorado Abuse And Neglect Hotline at 1- 844-CO-4-Kids (844‑264‑5437). This hotline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Don't hesitate to call and get help. Your report is confidential. You do not need anyone's permission to report and you are not required to notify the agency. You can report to the agency without fear of retaliation. We will never share your report with the party you reported. We must share it with the Colorado Department of Human Services. 

• Anyone witnessing a child in a life-threatening situation can call 911 immediately.

•  Information about forms of abuse & neglect is available here.

​

RESOLVING GRIEVANCES

The agency is here to support you if a parent is breaching the agency's policies or the terms of your nanny contract. If something is occurring, you can call or text the agency during business hours at (303) 749.1168. We will assist you to resolve the issue, provide the family with a substitute, or dissolve your contract in a professional manner on your behalf. ​

​

12. SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES - NEED TO KNOW

 

CHECKING IN/SETUP

• you will receive the family's profile and contact information prior to your booking

• any car seat must be installed in vehicle by a parent - absolutely no exceptions

• please notify us if you have concerns that the home is unsafe and do not want to babysit there for safety reasons

• WASH HANDS is the first step of every booking before you begin anything else​

​​

CHILDREN SLEEPING/NAPPING

• children under 2 years old must have a safe crib space or pack n' play for naps/bed

• children under 2 years old must have a working baby monitor (or app) with functioning screen and sound 

• for your shoulder and spinal health, children must be able to nap/sleep without being held ( rocking to sleep is fine) 

• never leave a carseat unattended & never leave any child to finish a nap alone in a carseat (risk of slumping positional asphyxia)

• we must not put a baby to nap in an adult bed, sofa, or with pillows, loose blankets, toys, or crib with fabric bumpers (suffocation hazards)

​

GENERAL

• no phone use while transporting children

• HOTELS: for hotel/event sitting, all children must be in the same room or two adjoining suites

• any child not listed in your booking should be supervised by another adult; you should not be left to supervise children at a neighbor's house 

• you can sit for a maximum of 4 children; reservations > 4 children require a second sitter at full hourly rate 

• you cannot sit for more than 2 children who are under 2 years old

  • Example: a sit for twin babies and a 4 yr old sibling = 1 sitter; a sit for twin babies and a 22 month older sibling = 2 sitters​

​​

Although you are expected to provide appropriate supervision, the client (parent or guardian) is responsible to ensure that the booking location is a safe place for their child including proper installation of child safety devices, functionality of child's medication/medical devices, and proper storage of cleaning chemicals, sharp objects, weapons and ammunition. ​​

​

13. GROUNDS FOR PARENT or AGENCY TO TERMINATE A SITTER/NANNY

• Taking child to any destination not approved by parent

• Willfully allowing the safety of a child to be compromised

• Allowing the safety of a child to be compromised through negligence

• Inconsistent or non-performance of your agreed-upon job responsibilities

• Insubordinate/disruptive behavior  

• Dishonesty or stealing 

• Breach of Confidentiality Policy 

• Absenteeism or willful tardiness 

• Unapproved guests

• Coming to work with smell of cigarette, vape or marijuana smoke 

• Smoking or vaping, consumption of alcohol during work hours, use or possession of any illegal drug, unauthorized prescription, or marijuana products (regardless of legality), coming to work affected/under the influence of a medication (even if legal, OTC or prescribed to you)

• Shaking a child, physical or verbal mistreatment of a child, inappropriate touch, language or behavior as defined by the Colorado Department Of Human Services 

​​

14. GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION OF CLIENT or TERMINATION OF CONTRACT

Parents who breach our agency terms of service or the terms of your nanny contract may be dismissed from our service. Exposing you to undue liability risk can also result in parent being removed from our service. Examples of this risk include, but are not limited to:

• parent refuses to secure unsafe areas around the home

• parent insists that you drive an unsafe vehicle

• children chronically engage in overtly dangerous behavior despite your instruction

• children repeatedly harm themselves or harm/threaten others

• children run away or chronically run out the front door without notice

• young children entering an unsecured pool area (no fence, gate or lock)

• parent omitting or inaccurately representing a child's medical needs or special needs

​

15. HOLD HARMLESS INFORMATION

Per Colorado’s Good Samaritan law 13-21-108, “persons rendering emergency assistance shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions made in good faith as a result of rendering such emergency care or emergency assistance during the emergency, unless the acts or omissions were grossly negligent or willful or wanton.”

• you can use your judgement to call 911 and you are not required to notify anyone prior to doing that

• Babysitters of Boulder LLC and its providers (you) shall not be liable for damage or injury, up to and including death, as a result of any items which are broken, expired, inadequate, missing, improperly installed, or malfunctioning, including but not limited to: appliances, household items/products, chemicals, vehicles, smoke alarms, door locks, child safety products, unsecured furniture/objects  that may fall on a child, etc.

• Babysitters of Boulder LLC and its providers (you) shall not be liable for damage or injury, up to and including death, as a result of expired, incorrectly labeled, or improperly stored chemicals, items, weapons or ammunition

• Babysitters of Boulder LLC and its providers (you) shall not be liable for damage or injury, up to and including death, as a result of client nondisclosure or misrepresentation of allergies, special needs or medical conditions, and shall not be liable for the condition, labeling or expiration of any medication or medical device

• Babysitters of Boulder LLC and its providers (you) shall not be liable for damage or injury, up to and including death, as the result of a pet's/animal's behavior

• client acknowledges that childhood injuries sometimes occur despite attentive care and appropriate supervision​

​​

A client may be able to hold you accountable/liable if damage or injury occurs as a result of negligence or willful misbehavior by you. 

Example 1: you put metal in the microwave and the microwave breaks.

Example 2: parent instructs you that their dog must remain in its crate and not be let out. You decide to let it out to play, and it bites a child.

​

16. FEDERAL AND STATE WAGE LAWS

• per federal law, sitters and nannies are classified as domestic workers and they must be paid hourly for all hours/minutes worked

• sitters and nannies cannot be paid salary, a flat rate or a 'lump sum'

• per federal law, any time worked > 40 hours in a 7 day week must be paid a rate of 1.5x the standard hourly rate

• per Colorado wage law, all time worked > 12 in a single day, or worked consecutively regardless of day, must be paid a rate of 1.5x the standard hourly rate

​​

17A. NANNY PLACEMENTS AND CONTRACTS

1. You can review our current nanny openings in the booking system, and you can request to interview. We reserve the right to refrain from submitting your profile if it do not meet the criteria/qualifications for the job posting. Clients make the sole determination regarding who to interview, however, we do not engage clients who express a desire to a select candidates based on age, race, sexual orientation, religious views, or other similarly inappropriate, irrelevant or discriminatory criteria. 

 

2. You will start by completing an initial in-person or video interview with a family. We require a minimum of one working interview/trial day before hire and signing a contract. You can request additional trial day(s) if you are not ready to decide. We recommend that parents extend an offer to you if they feel confident, however we also recommend that you and a family do not rush into an agreement. 

 

3. When the family makes a job offer, the agency collects their contract deposit. You and the family will be provided with an agency standard contract to review via Google Docs. It is important that you read this contract carefully and ask any questions. This contract lists all of your expected duties and responsibilities. In the rare event a family makes you a job offer but is unwilling to pay a deposit, your job offer is void. 

​​

4. Our agency commission for parents is based on the total # of workdays and hours of your contract. It is important that you let us know if you are working more days than agreed upon in your contract, for example: a family signs a contract with you for 2 days/wk and then asks you to work 4 days/wk. Clients also agree to notify us when they book additional days beyond the days they have purchased.

​

​