Dear Georgetown Faculty and Staff:
We hope you and your families are doing well. We appreciate the time and energy you have devoted to preparing for a smooth start to the Fall semester. As we approach the mid-semester point, we recognize the extraordinary efforts by so many in our community. In spite of the challenges the pandemic has unleashed, you remain resolute and strong in your commitment to excellence in your professional endeavors for our students and the entire Georgetown community. You have our deepest admiration and gratitude.
Today, we announce the expansion of the GUCares dependent care fund from $1,000 to a maximum of $3,000 per employee through the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2021). These funds support full-time faculty and staff facing dependent care challenges due to COVID-related closings of school, child care and elder care services. If you previously received a COVID Dependent Care Grant for the Fall 2020 semester at the lower reimbursement threshold, the Office of Faculty and Staff Benefits will reach out to you to coordinate whether you may qualify for additional reimbursement of eligible expenses up to the new reimbursement threshold. You can learn more about this and other GUCares grants at benefits.georgetown.edu/gucares.
In recognition of the need to consider care responsibilities in decision making about operational status and future planning, the Office of the Chief Operating Officer and the Faculty Senate are working together to convene a standing committee to provide continued input on dependent care support and resources provided by the University.
Additionally, the Department of Human Resources is committed to deploying a Dependent Care Resource (DCR) Coordinator. This role will be available to support faculty and staff through the many complexities of dependent care identification, serving as a point of contact within Georgetown to communicate and answer questions about our available resources. The DCR Coordinator can be reached at dependentcare@georgetown.edu. We anticipate this position will be active and available to answer questions no later than October 30, 2020.
Finally, we would like to remind you of the following resources provided by the university to meet your dependent care needs:
Child Care Support Resources for Faculty & Staff During COVID-19
Launched in September, benefits.georgetown.edu/covid-childcare provides faculty, staff and AAPs with information on available child care resources.
Discounts from GUAdvantage
From child care centers, tutoring, laptops and Au Pair placement services, explore the employee discounts available at beneplace.com/georgetown. Enter password “GUSAVES” when registering.
Support and Resources from Bright Horizons
Georgetown University currently partners with Bright Horizons to provide eligible faculty, staff and retirees with access to the following benefits:
Nationwide Caregiver Search Platform
Free annual membership to sittercity.com allows employees to:
-
- Search from among millions of caregiver profiles;
- Post jobs for one-time, recurring, or full-time caregiving; and,
- Review feedback and conduct background checks
Child Care and Education Discounts
Through the Bright Horizons Care Advantage Program, employees have:
-
- The ability to jump ahead on waitlists for Bright Horizons centers;
- Registration fee credits at hundreds of child care locations; and,
- Tuition discounts of 10% or more at partner centers nationwide
Eldercare Planning Resources
Bright Horizons provides:
-
- Tools for locating and evaluating facility-based care and in-home care agencies;
- Resources for understanding and preparing for ongoing needs; and,
- One-on-one consultations available
We remain committed to supporting you and your families’ well being during these challenging times. Our best wishes for continued good health.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Groves, Provost
Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President of Health Sciences
William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center
Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer