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Backstop

For caregivers

Care work that pays fairly and respects your time.

Pick up back-up care jobs near you — children, adults, pets. You choose which jobs you take. You’re paid weekly. A job cancelled inside twelve hours still pays.
Apply — about 3 minutesEn español

Free background check. No fees, ever. No minimum hours.

How pay works

The three things you actually want to know.

Hourly, with a 4-hour minimum

Every job pays at least four hours, even if the family only needs three. You see the exact pay before you accept — never after.

Paid weekly

Payouts run once a week to your bank account through Stripe. No waiting on an agency's monthly cycle.

Cancellations inside 12 hours still pay

If a family cancels less than 12 hours before start, or nobody's home when you arrive, you're paid a guarantee. You held the time; that's worth something.

Higher rates for same-day and holidays

Short-notice work is harder work. It's paid accordingly.

Rates for your market go here. We’re not going to recruit you with a vague “competitive pay” line. The launch-market hourly range is published on this page before we run any recruiting — and it’s the exact number you’ll see on job offers.

What the work is

A day, start to finish.

Back-up care is short-notice by nature. Most jobs are one day, in someone's home, during working hours.

  1. 01

    You get an offer

    A text with the care type, the neighbourhood, the hours, and the exact pay. Not the family's address or surname — you see those once you accept.

  2. 02

    You accept or decline

    Whichever you like. First to accept gets the job, so offers move quickly.

  3. 03

    You clock in on arrival

    Through the app, at the address. Emergency contacts and any allergies are there, and they work without signal.

  4. 04

    You clock out and file a note

    A short note on how it went. Then it's done, and it's on your next weekly payout.

What we require

Every step, and how long each one takes.

Being vague about requirements kills applications. Here is the whole list — nothing appears later that isn't on it.

18 or older, authorised to work in the US

We'll collect a W-9 or I-9 depending on how you're engaged in your market. We'll tell you which up front.

A criminal and driving background check

Run through Checkr. Free to you, usually clears in 3–5 days. Re-run every 12 months.

Photo ID and a quick selfie check

Takes about two minutes on your phone. Confirms the person on the profile is the person at the door.

Two professional references

We actually call them. Have names and numbers ready — this is the step that most often stalls an application.

CPR and first aid, for child and adult care

Paediatric first aid for children. If your certification has lapsed, tell us — we'll point you at a course.

A short video interview

Twenty minutes with a real person, scheduled around you. Not a one-way recorded screen.

Apply

Three minutes now. First job in about two weeks.

You'll get a confirmation immediately with exactly what happens next and when. No waiting to hear whether you're in a pile somewhere.

Prefer Spanish? Esta página en español.

We text about jobs. We never sell your number.

We match jobs within about 45 minutes' drive.

What kind of care can you provide?

Pick everything you're comfortable with — you choose which jobs you accept.

Applying costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Your background check is free to you. You choose every job you take.

Questions

Including the ones other platforms dodge.

How much will I actually make?
Rates vary by market, care type and notice. We publish the exact hourly rate on every job before you accept it, and we don't take a cut off the top of the number you're shown. TODO(business): publish the launch-market rate range on this page before running any recruiting.
Do I have to take jobs I don't want?
No. You accept the jobs you want and decline the rest. Declining does not affect your standing, your rate, or how many offers you get. There is no schedule you have to hold.
How long until my first job?
Most caregivers go from application to first job in about two weeks. The background check is 3–5 days, references and the interview run alongside it, and activation is same-day once every step is complete.
Am I an employee or a contractor?
It depends on your market — we operate both models and, in some markets, work through partner agencies. We tell you which applies to you before you complete onboarding, in writing, along with what it means for taxes and workers' compensation. If anyone is vague with you about this, that's a bad sign generally.
What about taxes?
If you're engaged as a contractor you'll get a 1099 and are responsible for your own taxes; we'll show your year-to-date earnings in the app so nothing is a surprise in January. If you're a W-2 employee in your market, taxes are withheld normally.
Am I insured while I'm working?
Yes. General and professional liability cover applies to every booking made through the platform. Care arranged privately, off-platform, is not covered — which is the main practical reason to keep bookings in the app.
What happens if something goes wrong?
Report it in the app — the button is always visible. A coordinator responds immediately for anything serious. You will not be penalised for reporting in good faith; the caregivers we lose trust in are the ones who don't report, not the ones who do.
What am I not allowed to do?
No medication administration beyond reminders, no wound or catheter care, no lift-device transfers, and no driving anyone in your own car. These aren't arbitrary — they're what keeps you inside what non-medical care legally covers, and inside what our insurance protects.

Ready when you are.

Applying costs nothing and commits you to nothing.

Apply nowEn español