FAQ
Do the Caregivers have liability insurance? Are they bonded?
As an accredited registry, we have several criteria that we screen for prior to adding a Caregiver to the registry. One criterion that must be met before having an active profile is proof of healthcare professional liability insurance. A client can request a copy of insurance verification from the Caregiver. At this time, our accreditation standards do not mandate that a Caregiver be bonded in order to have an active profile on the registry. However, a family can make a direct inquiry to the Caregiver regarding bonding.
How are the Caregivers trained?
Each Caregiver on the registry presents a different skill set, background and experience. We recommend that you carefully review each profile, which includes a Caregiver’s professional credentials, to ascertain whether a Caregiver possesses the specific skill set you are seeking. The registry does not provide any training or supervision to Caregivers.
Will the Caregiver drive my car? What happens if there is an accident?
As the client, you can make decisions regarding mode of transportation. If you choose to have a Caregiver drive your vehicle, it is advised that you speak to your auto insurance provider to inquire about any additional coverage or criteria that would need to be met to ensure you are protected if an accident should occur.
Does insurance cover the cost of the Caregiver?
Insurance does not typically reimburse for private Caregiver services. However, if you have a long-term care policy or any other type of policy that might have a home care benefit provision, we recommend you talk to the policy provider to inquire about any potential Caregiver or home care benefit you might be eligible for.
What happens if a Caregiver gets sick?
If the Caregiver you select should become ill, or unable to provide the care you have requested, you can request a referral to a second care provider. When working directly with a Caregiver, you should communicate to them what you would want done if this were to occur. If you opt for Premium Services, a Care Concierge can assist you with scheduling support.
What do I need to know about taxes?
When working directly with a private Caregiver, there are different models of home care delivery that have different tax implications. In some cases, the Caregiver is a self-employed individual providing a service to a client. In other situations, the family may be viewed as the household employer. For tax purposes, any payment made to a Caregiver who is your employee will need to be tracked through an IRS Form W-2 based on the model of home care delivery. We suggest you review the government IRS guidance regarding household employers at http://www.irs.gov/publications/p926/ar02.html. If you opt to upgrade your services, one of our business affiliates can assist in providing resources to facilitate payment from the client to the Caregiver.
What is the cost of a Caregiver?
The cost of Caregiver services is determined between the Caregiver and the Care Seeker. Each Caregiver has been asked to provide a range of fees that they charge for the services they offer. This fee can be directly negotiated between the Caregiver and the Care Seeker. CaregiverNC does not set rates.
How do I select a Caregiver?
When selecting a Caregiver, it is important that you consider what qualities you would like your Caregiver to have, when they are available, and the types of services they provide. CaregiverNC has created a Web platform designed to provide Care Seekers with access to profiles of pre-screened Caregivers so that you can select a Caregiver based upon the criteria you have identified as important. Our database will provide you with suggestions based upon the criteria you entered when setting up your profile.
What is the minimum amount of hours I can use the Caregiver?
The hours of service provided by the Caregiver can be directly determined by the Caregiver and Care Seeker. Each Caregiver can determine the number of hours they choose to work. CaregiverNC does not set any term or condition concerning a home-care relationship, and this includes not setting any minimum amount of hours a Caregiver can work for a Care Seeker.
Do you accept LTC insurance?
CaregiverNC is not the service provider and thus does not directly accept long-term care insurance. If you have a long-term care policy with a home care benefit, it is advised that you talk to your insurance representative about the criteria that must be met to qualify for this benefit. They may require that you or the Caregiver submit certain documentation, such as daily care notes. This should be discussed directly with the Caregiver. If you would like help evaluating a long term care policy, it is advised that you consider working directly with an aging life care manager at www.AgingLifeCare.org.
How much notice do I need to provide to set up a Caregiver schedule?
Once you have selected a Caregiver and made contact with that Caregiver, you can directly discuss with the Caregiver the timeline that will be needed to set up the requested schedule. Our upgraded services can provide support in this area. If you would like more information on additional administrative support please contact info@caregivernc.com.
Do I pay the Caregiver directly?
Each Care Seeker is responsible for payment to the Caregiver based on the agreed-upon rate. Payment can be (i) made directly to the Caregiver, (ii) processed through a W-2 household employer model or (iii) issued through an escrow account with 1099 tracking. For more information on resources to make and track payments from Care Seeker to Caregiver, please contact one of our team members at info@caregivernc.com to discuss options.
What will the Caregiver do?
The scope of services offered by each Caregiver is different, based upon their experience and skill set. The scope of care provided is determined by the Caregiver and Care Seeker. It is advised that you review each profile and directly communicate all expectations to the Caregiver you select.
Once a Caregiver and Care Seeker commence working together, does CaregiverNC have any right to terminate or remove a Caregiver from the relationship?
No. Under no circumstances can CaregiverNC terminate or remove a Caregiver from a home care relationship.
Do I receive any benefits or health insurance as a Caregiver on the registry?
Not from CaregiverNC. CaregiverNC is not a provider of home-care services. We provide a platform for consumers to access pre-screened, credentialed and verified Caregivers and for Caregivers to market their services to consumers seeking home care. CaregiverNC does not directly employ Caregivers and does not provide health insurance or benefits directly to Caregivers who choose to create a profile on CaregiverNC.
Do I get paid mileage?
It depends on what you negotiate with a Care Seeker for whom you perform services. CaregiverNC does not make payment to the Caregiver for any services rendered, including mileage. Payment is made directly from the Care Seeker to the Caregiver. The Caregiver and Care Seeker determine the rate of pay and should discuss any additional charges that might apply, such as mileage.
Do I need to have auto insurance to drive the client’s car?
The Caregiver and Care Seeker determine the scope of services to be provided. If a Care Seeker is requesting transportation in your vehicle or in their vehicle, it is advised that you talk to your insurance provider to determine what coverage might be necessary.
What if I get hurt driving the client’s car or riding with a client?
If you choose to provide transportation or ride with a client while providing services, you should talk to your automobile insurance provider and liability insurance provider to identify the appropriate coverage and options available to you. This is the responsibility of the Caregiver. All financial matters, including liability for injury, are matters strictly between you and a client.
Who do I call if I get sick or can’t make a shift I have agreed to?
You should discuss this with the Care Seeker for whom you are providing services. As a matter of sound business practices, if you have agreed to work a specific shift or set of hours for a Care Seeker and are unable to fulfill that obligation, you should notify the Care Seeker immediately and seek direction from the Care Seeker. CaregiverNC has no involvement in such matters.
How do I get hours from a client?
CaregiverNC provides a platform for Care Seekers to identify and contact Caregivers for services they are in need of. Once you have built your profile and completed the screening and credential verification process, your profile will be listed as active, and clients will be able to contact you directly. Once a client contacts you, you can discuss all care-related matters, including hours, with the client directly.
Can I work full time and still be on the registry?
As a self-employed Caregiver, you determine the number of hours you would like to work with a client. CaregiverNC is not an employer or provider of home care services. It does not impose any requirements concerning hours. The Caregiver maintains the right to accept, decline or re-negotiate any opportunity presented when contacted by the Care Seeker.
Can I choose the hours I want to work?
The hours worked will be determined by the Caregiver and Care Seeker. The Care Seeker can communicate the hours they are looking for and the Caregiver maintains the right to accept, decline or renegotiate those hours.
What do I need to know about taxes?
The Consumer Direct Model of Care empowers the Caregiver and Care Seeker to determine the scope of services and payment for those services. Once you and your Care Seeker have determined how payment will be made to the Caregiver, it is advised that you seek professional tax advice if you have any questions concerning the tax implications of the arrangement. CaregiverNC cannot provide you with any tax advice. If you do not have a tax adviser, the North Carolina Association of CPAs might be able to provide you with a referral. It can be contacted at http://www.ncacpa.org/.
How do I get paid?
Payment to the Caregiver is directly from the client. The Caregiver and Care Seeker will determine the scope of services, rate of pay and method of payment.
What if a Care Seeker fails to pay me my fees?
You are solely responsible for collecting your fees from a Care Seeker. By posting your profile on the CaregiverNC website, you are accepting full and complete responsibility for collecting any and all fees to which you believe you are owed by a Care Seeker for whom you perform services.
What is the consumer-directed model of care?
Is a Caregiver registry a licensed home care agency?
This Consumer-Directed Model of Care allows you and the Caregiver you select to determine the scope of services to be rendered. CaregiverNC is not a licensed home care agency, as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. 131E-136(2), and does not make guarantees concerning the training, supervision or competence of the personnel referred here under. We help match private, high-quality Caregivers with disabled and older adults based on the profiles they create.
What do I need to know about the pay rates and minimum wage?
All pay-related matters are strictly between a Caregiver and Care Seeker. The following is a link to the US Department of Labor website concerning the treatment of domestic workers for purposes of federal laws governing pay rates and minimum wage: http://www.dol.gov/whd/homecare/factsheets.htm.