Care.com/msu and other Support for Spartans who are Caregivers

The WorkLife Office is a strong advocate of support for Spartans who are caregivers. We appreciate the struggles, we see the challenges, and we have resource and information to help. Now more than ever, we want to be sure you are aware of childcare options and supports available to you as an MSU employee and in the local community. Please share this information with relevant staff and faculty members as these resources could benefit many people within the MSU community.

Care.com/MSU:

Care.com is a one-stop destination to find babysitters, nannies, senior/elder care support, housekeepers and even pet sitters! Their site allows you to view detailed profiles of their vetted providers and select by experience, hourly rate, availability and more. Visit care.com/msu. If you have needs for care in other areas across the nation (for example, if your elder mom lives in Florida, or you have a conference in Atlanta and you want to take your baby) you can find care anywhere! 

You can also look for College Caregivers—if you want to have access to MSU students’ profiles, you can search the system by college. You must enroll with your MSU NetID email address. Michigan State University gives MSU affiliates free access to view profiles, post job descriptions and communicate with providers. It is your responsibility to hire providers and pay a negotiated rate for them to work in your home.

Employee Resource Groups:

Family Employee Resource Group– The Family Employee Resource Group (Family ERG) is a place for Spartans to connect on family related topics with the goal of connecting, building community and sharing best practices regarding raising or caregiving for children and issues that kids/teens are navigating. The Family ERG meets on the second Tuesday each month during the academic year in the form of educational Zoom webinars, interactive “Ask the Expert” format meetings, as well as in person family friendly programs and events (which are held on Saturdays).

Adult Caregivers Employee Resource Group- The Adult Caregiving Employee Resource Group (Adult Caregiving ERG) is a place for Spartans to connect on adult caregiving issues (including elder care and other adult care, like adult children, spouses, etc.). The goal of the group is to discuss related topics with the goal of connecting, sharing resources, building community, and sharing best practices regarding adult caregiving. The Adult Caregiving ERG meets on the fourth Thursday from 12 noon to 1 p.m. during the academic year in the form of educational Zoom webinars, interactive “Ask the Expert” panel format meetings, as well as in-person family-friendly programs and events. 

Post Parental Leave Employee Resource Group– The Post Parental Leave ERG focuses on employees who are returning to work after parental leave. After welcoming a new baby, the initial return to work period can be incredibly stressful emotionally, mentally, and physically for new parents and for their child. The Post Parental Leave ERG focuses on providing support and resources to this group of employees to ease their transition back to the workforce. The Post Parental Leave ERG meets twice per semester on the second Thursday of October, December, February, and April in the form of Zoom discussion-based sessions.

 Services available:

  • EAP Counseling services and courses
  • Consultations: contact the WorkLife Office about work, career, and family questions, gather resources, and get referral information based on the conversation.
  • Care.com/msu: Find trusted care providers. MSU faculty and staff can get free access to search for childcare, special needs care, tutoring help, private lessons, housekeeping, pet care and more.
  • Backup Dependent Care for children and adult dependents
  • Classes for breastfeeding, infant care, and more on the WorkLife Office calendar.

Supervisor support on flexibility and making equitable decisions:

We hope you will reach out to us with questions, comments and suggestions or needs: worklife@msu.ed