Policies

Summary of common day-to-day policies:

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Booking policy & non-solicitation

Reserve our sitters’ time through the agency or in your online account – our sitters work exclusively through Babysitters of Boulder

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Payment to sitter when service is rendered

Your agency sitter will collect hourly payment from you at the end of your booking – if arriving home early, please pay for your full reservation

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Standardized hourly rates

We have standardized hourly rates for residents and visitors and do not negotiate rates – view rates here
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Mileage for transporting your child

If your sitter drives your child in their personal vehicle, please reimburse mileage at 72.5 cents per mile – the 2026 IRS rate

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Preventing spread of illness

Please do not book care if someone in your home has a contagious illness; we ask that children be free of fever, vomiting or diarrhea in the 24 hours prior to booking, without medication

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Booking cancellation

To ensure proper documentation, all cancellations are made through the agency, not with your sitter directly

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Safe Sleep Policy for Children under 2

Sitters follow Safe Sleep Guidelines: crib with flat mattress, free of loose blankets, pillows, toys, or fabric bumpers (American Academy of Pediatrics)

E

Preventing spread of illness

Please do not book care if someone in your home has a contagious illness; we ask that children be free of fever, vomiting or diarrhea in the 24 hours prior to booking, without medication

E

Booking cancellation

To ensure proper documentation, all cancellations are made through the agency, not with your sitter directly

E

Safe Sleep Policy for Children under 2

Sitters follow Safe Sleep Guidelines: crib with flat mattress, free of loose blankets, pillows, toys, or fabric bumpers (American Academy of Pediatrics)

Your sitter must put your child to sleep in a crib with a flat mattress, free of suffocation hazards such as loose blankets, pillows, large toys, or fabric bumpers

Agency Policies

1. Our services to you

We are pleased to provide your family with referral to our childcare providers. We do not employ providers directly. As part of our services to you, we provide:

  • a match to a provider with qualifications compatible with your childcare needs and schedule, to the best of our ability and based on the amount of notice you provide
  • backup childcare if your provider becomes unavailable, subject to our discretion and to the extent available, and subject to bad weather warnings and best practices to prevent the spread of illness
  • a referral to a new provider if desired
  • standardized hourly rates

Providers who:​

    • are at least 21 years of age
    • have a minimum of 3 years childcare experience which can be nannying, sitting, parenting, caring for younger siblings, daycare, church nursery, pediatric medical care, teaching, camp counseling, youth leadership, or volunteering
    • provide two childcare references
    • complete an FCRA compliant background check and DMV record check at the time they join us
    • provide proof of current insurance and license, and have access to a reliable vehicle at the time they join
    • have a CPR Certificate for infants, toddlers and children and agree to re-certify every two years, within 30 days of Certificate’s expiration date
    • have received our Confidentiality and Privacy Statement to safeguard your family’s personal information that they may encounter in your home

COVID-19 Update: As of January 1, 2025, we no longer require the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition for becoming a childcare contractor. We continue to track whether applicants have received the vaccine at least once. Contractors must comply with any current federal, state, and county COVID-19 requirements. This policy is subject to change based on recommendations or requirements from the Colorado Department of Public Health.

From late 2021 through the end of 2024, we required childcare contractors to have received the vaccine at least once. We honored documented medical exemptions and exemptions for sincerely held religious beliefs.

We will perform these services as an independent contractor, and nothing in this Agreement is intended to create a relationship of employer-employee, principal-agent, partner or joint venture between the parties.

2. Non-solicitation of sitters

Our sitters book through us and protections apply to their bookings made through us. Please do not ask a sitter to work with you independently of the agency. Asking a sitter to engage in this jeopardizes their liability protections and their professional reputation. At any childcare agency, independently booking with agency clients is grounds for termination.

You agree that during your membership and for one (1) year thereafter you shall not, either directly or indirectly, solicit any childcare services or receive these services from any our our sitters, except through Babysitters Of Boulder’s Referral Service.

Engaging, or attempting to engage with a sitter you have met through us, without involving the agency and paying the associated charges, will result in immediate closure of your account.

3A. Registration, booking & short notice requests
  • New client registration – $75; waived for new clients who select a membership
  • Reservation payment per booking – $35 for non-members ($45 as of Feb 20, 2026); each day that a sitter is reserved is considered one booking
  • Bookings made with less than 24 hours notice: $20 to $30 surcharge for members and $50 for non-members
  • Short notice surcharges: introduced in 2025, these help fund continuing education and team building for our sitters and nannies. Your short-notice booking helps to support team members pursuing certifications in newborn care, doula training, and more!
  • In the rare event your sitter must cancel and we cannot provide an alternate we credit your booking charge to your account, or offer refund at our discretion 
  • In the event that you do not pay for any part of a confirmed booking per this Agreement, you authorize us to charge your credit card on file to collect outstanding agency charges due and pay your provider – this will be considered a payment directly from you to the provider
  • In the event that you fail to pay for a service or invoice, we refer such matters to collections
  • 3 hour minimum booking, or 3 hours of pay if you need a sitter for less than 3 hours
  • Pricing subject to change – we agree to provide you with email notice of pricing changes in advance of pricing changes; if you have unsubscribed from email notifications, you may not receive these updates

FAMILIES SHARING A BOOKING & CHILDREN FROM OTHER FAMILIES

We understand that families traveling together may prefer to share a booking. Each family must complete a new client registration and sign a service agreement. Families are permitted to share one sitter, provided that the booking adheres to our child-to-sitter ratio. To add children to your booking, please contact the agency directly at (303) 749-1168 no later than 24 hours before your booking’s start time.

Children named in your account must be your own. Please, do not include another family’s child in your registration form or account.

Sitters are reserved to care for the children listed in your original booking request. If additional children are present when the sitter arrives, the sitter may or may not be able to provide care for them. While sitters strive to be accommodating, if they agree to care for an unregistered child at the start time of your booking, the following fees will be applied to your card on file:

  • A $250 agency service fee for the addition of an unregistered family without prior notice
  • Associated credit card processing fees for these payments

We strongly recommend that all families register in advance to avoid added charges.

3B. Sitter hourly rates & other payments

RESIDENTIAL RATES

  • $30 per hour for 1 to 2 children
  • $32 per hour for 3 children ($35 as of Feb 20, 2026)
  • $35 per hour for 4 children (limit is 4 children per sitter)

HOLIDAY RESIDENTIAL RATES

    • 1.5x the rates listed above: Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day (after 4:00 pm), Easter, 4th of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day
    • 2x the rates listed above: Christmas, Thanksgiving

Hourly rate is subject to change if the actual booking differs from information provided in the booking request.

VISITOR RATES

  • $35 per hour for 1 to 4 children
  • + $5 per hour for 2 children under the age of 3

OTHER PAYMENTS

  • Gratuity is not required – sitters can accept gratuities and they are appreciated
  • Reimburse mileage at 72.5 cents per mile (2026 IRS rate) if provider transports your children in their personal vehicle
  • Your agency sitter will collect the hourly payment from you at the end of your booking, before they leave
  • Please pay your sitter for the time in your originally scheduled booking if you come home early
  •  Reimburse provider for pre-approved purchases, required toll roads, and hotel paid parking
  • If a provider must purchase something in order to safely perform the sit, such as a booster seat if you forgot to leave one, reimburse sitter for purchase
3C. Monthly memberships for residents

Memberships

  • Essential Membership $59/mo
  • Priority Membership $99/mo
  • Non-member bookings $45

1.  Fulfillment of requests made with less than 7 days’ notice is not guaranteed, although we have an excellent fulfillment rate of ~93% for requests.

2. We strive to match your family with your favorite sitters and minimize the different sitters you have. Though we cannot guarantee a specific sitter’s availability, we can assist you to plan bookings with them in advance. For personalized assistance, please contact us at hello@babysittersofboulder.com.

3. Members receive discounts on short notice booking surcharges:

  • $20 for Priority Membership; 4 bookings
  • $30 for Essential Membership; 2 bookings
  • $50 for non-member bookings

Short notice fees help to fund continuing education and team building for our sitters & nannies. Your short notice booking helps to support team members earning doula or newborn care certifications, and more!

Short notice surcharges are not refundable if your booking is canceled.

4. Your monthly membership is based on a 30 day billing cycle starting the day you join and is debited monthly on that date.

If you have used your membership credits and would like to place new reservations before your next renewal date, discounts apply:

  • Essential – $30 per additional booking 
  • Priority – $20 per additional booking

Memberships are month-to-month with no annual commitment.

You can independently upgrade or cancel membership from within your account.

5. Unused monthly credits do not roll over, however a cancelled booking can be rescheduled within 30 days no additional charge. Non-member credit is valid for 30 days.

6. Memberships are not transferrable or shared. Co-parents, friends etc. each maintain their own account and membership.

7. Because our sitters work with multiple families and young infants, we do not provide care for sick children. Children must be free of fever, vomiting, or diarrhea for at least 24 hours prior to your booking, without the use of medication.

8. If canceling a booking, a courtesy cancellation payment applies:

  • If canceling with more than 48 hours notice – $35
  • If canceling with less than 48 hours notice – $100
  • If cancelling on the day of service (same day cancellation) – sitter receives full payment 
  • Overnight care bookings adhere to a different cancellation policy available in our overnight care policy (Section 8)
4A. Cancellation payment policy

We know plans can change and life with kids is unpredictable. Our policy protects our sitters’ time while giving you flexibility:

  • If canceling with more than 48 hours notice – $35 payment
  • If canceling within 48 hours notice or less – $100 payment
  • If canceling on day of service (same day cancellation), sitter receives full payment for booking as scheduled
  • credit card processing charge of 2.9% + 30 cents for same day cancellation 

Modifying a booking:

  • if shortening your booking with less than 48 hours’ notice, payment for the booking as originally scheduled
  • if changing the booking to a time when the sitter is unavailable, cancellation payment policy may apply

We’re here to help. If something comes up, you can reach us at (303) 749-1168.

Please cancel your booking in your online account, or contact the agency at (303) 749.1168 or hello@babysittersofboulder.com.

MAKING CANCELLATION PAYMENT TO YOUR SITTER

  • The agency will confirm the amount due and process the payment to your card on file
  • There are no exceptions to the cancellation payment policy

Once a provider has accepted your request and we’ve sent your confirmation email containing your provider’s contact information, your booking is confirmed and payment policies apply. You are welcome to have a brief introduction call of 10 minutes or so, if you like! Please note that declining to proceed with a booking for reasons such as personality does not necessarily constitute an exception to payment policies.  For bookings of several weeks or more, we arrange an introductory booking before committing to several weeks together.

CANCELING FOR A SICK CHILD OR SICK FAMILY MEMBER

If canceling due to illness, cancellation payment is made to the care provider, who has reserved time for the booking and declined other opportunities.

CANCELING FOR WEATHER OR EMERGENCIES

In the case of severe weather predictions, we may make a good faith effort to contact you about cancellation in advance, and we recommend that clients and providers check the weather. For safety, we may cancel bookings if an emergency advisory has been issued. If the agency cancels your booking, no payment is due.

Consideration of extenuating circumstances is at the sole discretion of the agency.

CANCELLATION POLICY FOR OVERNIGHT OR TRAVEL CARE

Your sitter carefully arranges their schedule for your family’s overnight or travel booking, and may make nonrefundable commitments such as pet boarding reservations. Once a booking is confirmed:

    • if canceling with more than 72 hours notice: 50% of the booking’s value is due to the sitter
    • if canceling with less than 72 hours notice, 100% of the booking’s value is due to the sitter
    • 3 hour minimum for all cancellation payments
    • Payment by credit card assesses a fee of 2.9% + 30 cents
4B. Modifying your booking
  • You can make changes to your booking at no additional charge with 48 hours notice or more
  • If you shorten your booking with less than 48 hours notice, you will pay your sitter for the length of your booking as originally scheduled
  • Additional terms apply to modifying special bookings such as overnight sits or event childcare
5A. Client Code of Conduct

We strive to provide a positive experience and to foster mutual respect:

  • Payment is due at the time service is rendered – please pay your sitter in full at completion of your booking
  • Please do not book care if someone in your home has a contagious illness, and let the agency and your sitter know in advance if your child is unwell, or is home due to a COVID-19 closure
  • If you would like your sitter to care for a child who is not listed in your booking, please provide 24 hours of notice; we strive to be prepared and sitters should not learn of additional children when they arrive
  • Parents, sitters and agency representatives agree to treat each other with respect
  • Please exchange information during your paid time with your sitter; please pay them for the extra time if they stay past your booking’s end time to answer questions & review your booking with you
  • Your home will be the provider’s workplace – please provide a safe and sanitary work environment, and the tools and supplies to care for your child
  • Please do not to solicit providers regarding other services, product sales, personal training, donations, political events, rallies, events related to religion or church membership, etc.

CODE OF CONDUCT

  • Please provide the supplies to care for your child, readily available and accessible, and a sanitary, reasonably tidy work environment for your caregiver.
  • Parents, providers, and agency representatives agree to treat each other with respect. At all times, every provider has the right to a work environment that is free of physical or verbal aggression, profane language, or slurs. Profanity, slurs, shouting, soliciting, threatening, menacing, coercing or intimidating is prohibited.
  • Please do not solicit providers regarding other services such as, but not limited to, product sales, real estate ventures, personal training, donations, political events/rallies, events related to religious/church memberships, etc.

WORKPLACE SAFETY AND BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS

Clients agree to maintain a safe, tenable and respectful work environment for caregivers. This includes:

  • Disclosing behavioral challenges, needs, special needs, or safety concerns (including but not limited to aggression, diagnoses, elopement risk, or other behaviors) prior to recruitment, and job acceptance.
  • Taking immediate action to address and end physical aggression toward caregivers or others in the home.
  • Ensuring individuals in the home do not subject caregivers to slurs, profane language, hate speech, or verbal abuse, regardless of the individual’s age or understanding of the terms.
  • Maintaining personal conversations and disagreements privately, not in the caregiver’s presence.
  • Preparing the space in which the caregiver will work, with adequate waste disposal, removal of excessive tripping hazards and clutter, pest control if needed, availability of clean, stocked bathroom for employee use, and functioning plumbing and other utilities.

Caregivers cannot be expected to continue working where children or others:

  • Are physically aggressive toward the caregiver or others (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, throwing objects, holding, repeated unwanted physical contact).
  • Display ongoing physical aggression toward the caregiver or others.
  • Repeatedly flee or attempt to leave the home without supervision (elopement).
  • Use slurs, profane language, hate speech, or verbal abuse, regardless of the individual’s age or understanding of the terms.
  • Engage in behaviors that create an unsafe or untenable working environment.
Caregivers cannot be expected to continue working where:
  • Insanitary conditions persist, including excessive clutter and tripping hazards, hoarding, pest infestation, inadequate waste disposal, lack of functioning plumbing or utilities, or other conditions that pose health or safety risks.
  • Safety equipment is persistently missing or inadequate, such as baby gates, door locks, functioning smoke detectors, safe sleeping arrangements, or other safety items required under Section 6 (Safety Requirements).

Reporting and Resolution: Caregivers should endeavor to politely notify you of concerns and issues that impact their work, if they believe they can do so safely. However, it is your responsibility to provide a work environment that meets the standards above. The Agency may work with you to address the concerns or allow time for issues to be cured, if curable. However, if the Agency determines that working conditions are unlikely to be reasonably cured, or if you do not take prompt corrective action, this constitutes a material breach of this Agreement:

  • We are not obligated to provide a replacement.
  • No refund of placement fees will be due.
  • We reserves the right to terminate services, in keeping with our obligations to provider safety, children’s safety, and maintenance of reasonable work environment.

COPARENTING & OTHER PARENTING RELATIONSHIPS

  • If each parent has their own address (coparenting, separated, divorced, etc.) then each parent independently registers and has their own account
  • Bookings that cannot be completed, in part or in full, as a result of the other parent’s actions or any other person’s actions, will be invoiced to your account per the payment policies outlined in this agreement
5B. Inclusion & Anti-Discrimination Policy
Babysitters Of Boulder is an equal opportunity staffing agency. We base our sitter recruitment on each individual’s qualifications, references, background check results and kind, professional demeanor. We do not consider physical characteristics such as hair color, hair style, or weight. We do not tolerate harassment.

We do not discriminate on the basis of age,  race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, veteran status, national origin or any other reason prohibited by law. Canceling with a sitter for these reasons will incur 100% payment for the full duration of bookings on file with the sitter regardless of when you make the cancellation.

We stand by this policy to support our team members, and we commit to provide this same inclusive support to you and your family!

Equal Opportunity Staffing In Gender.

Please notify us in advance if you have a need to be matched with female providers only, as we cannot reassign your booking after you have been matched with a caregiver. Our team includes women, men, transgender men and women, and nonbinary people. We support our community of LGBTQ+ childcare professionals.

6A. Safety requirements for your child
  • a sitter can care for a maximum of 4 children at a time; reservations for more than 4 children require a second sitter at the full hourly rate
  • Reservations for children under 2 years old are limited to 2 children under two per childcare provider
  • You will receive your provider’s profile, photo and contact information prior to start time
  • You are responsible for giving your provider your emergency contact
  • If your child needs a carseat you must install it – the agency cannot permit your provider to install a carseat
  • If a booster seat is needed you must provide it
  • Your sitter cannot leave your child to finish a nap unattended in their carseat, such as placing the carseat in the child’s bedroom – risk of positional asphyxia
  • Supervising your child is your provider’s first priority; we value completing family support tasks however this comes second to supervision
  • If your provider will use your car, you agree to maintain the necessary car insurance and to maintain the car’s safe working condition
  • ​You are responsible to ensure that your home or booking location is a safe environment for children including but not limited to: chemicals have been correctly labeled and stored, sufficient child safety devices properly installed, furniture/decor which could fall on a child is secured, medication is safely put away, pets/animals are secured if necessary, and hazardous areas or items, sharp objects, weapons and ammunition are properly secured
  • If your booking is at a hotel: children must be in the same room or directly adjoining suites
6B. Safety for a child under 2 years old
  • You must have a baby monitor, or app, with a functioning screen and sound in the sleeping space – this is required per our insurance provider
  • You must have an age-appropriate crib free of suffocation hazards including pillows, loose blankets, large toys, or fabric bumpers
  • Due to the risk of suffocation, a sitter cannot put your child to sleep in an adult bed, couch, etc.
  • Supervised stroller naps are fine provided that supervision of other children can be maintained
  • For worker shoulder and spinal health, your child must be able to sleep without being held for the duration of the sleeping period – occasional baby wearing of young infants is ok
  • Reservations for children under 2 years old are limited to 2 children under two per childcare provider
7A. Sick children, HFMD, and other illnesses

For the safety of the many families we care for, we do not provide care of sick children. Please help us to prevent the spread of germs to your family or others.

Please notify us in advance of any illness or lingering symptoms. This will help to prevent surprises, exposure, or bookings that end earlier than expected.

Children must be free from fever, vomiting, or diarrhea—without medication—for at least 24 hours before the start of your booking.

Be aware of febrile seizure: An important reason that we do not provide sick child care is that infants and young children with mild early symptoms may experience febrile seizure. This occurs most commonly within the first 24 hours of illness and, while often not life-threatening, it is a serious medical event.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (HFMD): children must be free of fever for at least 72 hours prior to the booking, and all blisters must be dry with scabs, or inactive.

When in doubt, we recommend canceling in advance rather than the ‘wait and see’ method. If your child becomes ill during your booking and care needs to end early, you will need to pay your sitter in full for the booking as scheduled.

If anyone in your home has symptoms of a contagious illness, such as the flu, we kindly ask that you cancel your reservation.

Children’s Symptoms We Can Care For

You may book with us if your child has a runny nose with clear discharge or lingering congestion after an illness that’s no longer contagious. Please let us know in advance to avoid any confusion.

If you have asked your sitter to wear a mask, kindly demonstrate courtesy by wearing one as well.

List of Illnesses/Symptoms Which Require You to Cancel 

  • lice
  • fever within the past 24 hours (you may request an exception for a low teething fever, a common teething symptom)
  • contagious illness such as Norovirus, flu, pink eye, chicken pox, strep throat, mumps, measles, etc. 
  • vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours
  • Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease: children must be free of fever for at least 72 hours prior to the booking, and all blisters must be dry with scabs, or inactive.
  • persistent coughing and sneezing 
  • your child is experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or blue skin tone around the face, lips, or chest (an indicator that a child cannot fully catch their breath)
  • COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19 without a negative test, or kept home due to exposure
  • if anyone in your home is waiting on a COVID-19 test result, or if any person in your home has symptoms of COVID-19 and does not have another diagnosis or a negative test result, your sitter should not come

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list. Our precautions may change as state or federal recommendations change. 

7B. Sitter administering medication to your child
  • Your sitter can administer medication with your written permission and dosage confirmation – text, email, or handwritten note suffices
  • A sitter cannot assume responsibility for the expiration date or functionality of a child’s medication or medical devices
  • Our service cannot be used as a home medical aide or pediatric care service

We strive to recruit caregivers with a variety of experience and training. Our goal is to provide wonderful service to every family and to build long-lasting professional relationships with all clients. There may be a scenario where your family’s needs cannot be met by our team. We agree to discuss potential concerns with you and make good faith effort to address your needs. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that we determine that we cannot appropriately match you with a caregiver who meets your needs, we reserve the right to refund any deposits and discontinue effort to match you to a caregiver. In this situation, we will do our best to refer you to other resources we are aware of.

7C. COVID-19 safety
  • We cannot book care for you if you or any person in your home has COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and does not have a negative test result
  • Because a runny nose is so common, you may book care if your child has a runny nose with clear discharge and no other symptoms
  • We follow Boulder County Public Health Department’s current orders regarding isolation, quarantine, exposure reporting, and the definition of exposure – see Boulder County COVID Safety Page
  • Your sitter can wear a mask in your home upon request – a documented medical reason is the only exception excusing a sitter from wearing a mask
  • If you need your sitter to wear a mask, please have clean masks available
  • Per Colorado Revised Pandemic And Epidemic Diseases Statute § 25-1.5-102(1), we do not send sitters to to locations where any person is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or has been exposed
  • If any person in your family has taken a COVID-19 test, do not book care until you have a negative result
  • We do not permit sitters to go to a booking when they have symptoms or are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
8. Booking overnight care
  • Maximum booking length: 3 nights – may be extended for older children
  • Typically requires a minimum of 14 days notice
  • The agency booking fee for overnight sits is $35 per overnight, or for residents, 1 member credit per overnight date
  • Overnight care is booked with a sitter who has met your family – for this reason we cannot guarantee replacement in the event your sitter becomes unavailable
  • Your child must have an age-appropriate bed
  • Your child cannot sleep in a bed with or share a bed with the sitter at any time for any reason
  • You must provide your sitter with an appropriate bed such as a guest bed, a foldout couch bed, or your bed with clean linens
  • Inform us in advance about anyone else who will be at your home i.e. a house guest, grandparent, roommate, etc.
  • Inform us if your child sleepwalks or has night terrors before you make a request
  • Have a contingency plan for the person to relieve your sitter in the event that you cannot get home on time due, your child cannot go to school as planned, etc.
  • Have an emergency plan for the person to relieve your sitter in the event that your sitter has an emergency
  • Daytime care follows our standardized hourly rates
  • The overnight rate is $155 per overnight  for up to 8 hours (generally 10pm to 6am); we serve a number of cities and apply the highest minimum wage in our service area – 2026 Denver minimum wage of $19.29
  • Overnight rate does not apply to night nannies or when a child requires care
CANCELLATION POLICY FOR OVERNIGHT AND TRAVEL CARE

Your sitter carefully arranges their schedule for your family’s overnight or travel booking.

Once your booking is confirmed, the following cancellation payments apply and supersede our standard cancellation payments:

  • if canceling with 21 days’ notice or more, our standard cancellation payment of $35 per day applies
  • if canceling with 14 to <21 days’ notice, 25% of the booking’s value is due to the sitter
  • if canceling with 7 to <14 days’ notice, 50% of the booking’s value is due to the sitter
  • if canceling with less than <7 days; notice, 100% of the booking’s value is due to the sitter
  • payment by credit card includes a processing fee of 2.9% + 30 cents
OVERNIGHT CARE: LABOR & DELIVERY

All of the policies above apply, and:

  • Sitter is placed on paid on-call status to reserve their time for your family
  • On-call pay is equal to our standard hourly pay rate – your sitter is at your disposal and declines all other work to remain fully available to your family
  • Colorado overtime law may require overtime for a shift exceeding 12 hours
9. Confidentiality & social media
  • Your family’s information is confidential, including but not limited to medical, financial or legal information – providers should share information with the agency only if it is relevant to doing their work
  • Providers may privately share your address for the purpose of being picked up from your address (ride share etc)
  • Your consent is always required to post or publish any image of your child’s face/likeness
  • You agree to maintain confidentiality of providers’ personal details including, but not limited to: phone number, W-2 information, banking/financial information, physical address, results of background and/or DMV record check, and other information you may learn about them that is reasonably understood to be private personal information
  • This clause shall not prohibit the agency or a provider from reporting concerns of abuse, neglect, or any crime to welfare/protective services or to legal authorities
10A. Candidate screening process & background check

BACKGROUND CHECK, DRIVING RECORD CHECK, SCREENING

We process a background cand driving record check when a provider joins our group for babysitting. Candidates specifically seeking employment as a nanny, family assistant, home manager, etc. may undergo these at the time of a conditional job offer, in keeping with Colorado Department of Labor and Employment requirements.

Our background and DMV checks are processed through a third party vendor compliant with the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act). The background check includes:

  • SSN Trace
  • County Criminal Record Search of the counties candidate has resided within the past seven (7) years
  • Multi-State Instant Criminal Check with Verification
  • 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.
  • DMV record

The DMV record is a summary of the provider’s available driving history, and records-sharing restrictions may vary by state. We may accept a candidate to the team if a DMV record check returns infractions and the candidate can provide a reasonable explanation, considering factors such as a clean driving record or completion of a defensive driving course since the date of infraction.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Generally, social media findings would be disqualifying if findings violated our policies in regards to safety, harassment or discrimination, or depict racist images, illegal drug use, mistreatment of children, hate speech, or other discriminatory, unsafe or unlawful behavior. It is not possible to guarantee a full review of an applicant’s online presence due to the size of the internet and of social media.

REFERENCES & RESUME

We require two childcare-related references and accept phone and email verification. We make good faith effort to verify teaching credential if the applicant lists an active ECE or K-12 teaching credential in their resume. We collect good faith proof of degree or transcript if the applicant applies to a nanny position which requires a degree.

The information provided by Babysitters Of Boulder about a provider, and used by Babysitters Of Boulder to determine a provider’s qualifications, is based on information given by that provider. It is not always possible to verify all of this information. You agree not to hold Babysitters Of Boulder liable for inaccuracies or omissions in such information.

You may request to view a team member’s background check or DMV record if you are hiring the team member for a contract position. Federal law prohibits us from sharing any team member’s background check without their express written consent. You must maintain strict confidentiality of all content therein. 

10B. Grounds for dismissal of sitter
GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OF A SITTER

  • Willfully taking your child/dependent to any destination not approved by you
  • Willfully allowing the safety of your child/dependent to be compromised
  • Compromising the safety of your child/dependent due to negligence/dereliction of duty
  • Inconsistent or non-performance of agreed-upon job responsibilities
  • Insubordinate disruptive behavior, dishonesty or stealing
  • Breach of Confidentiality or Social Media Policy clause
  • Absenteeism, no show, or willful tardiness
  • Unapproved guests
  • Working with odor of cigarette smoke, vape or marijuana smoke
  • Poor personal hygiene*
  • Smoking or vaping during work hours, consumption of alcohol during work hours, use or possession of any illegal drug, unauthorized prescription, or marijuana products (regardless of legality); working while diminished or “under the influence” of a medication (even if legally prescribed or OTC)
  • Physical mistreatment or verbal mistreatment of a child

*Personal hygiene may be the result of protected reasons such as a medical condition or cultural differences. In these instances, the agency acts in accordance with anti-discrimination law.

We work at your discretion and it is your right to decline to work with a provider. However, please note that declining for personal preferences such as fit or personality does not constitute an exception to cancellation payment policies or other payment policies. Declining for these reasons may require a cancellation payment for upcoming bookings you wish to cancel or reassign.

11. Federal & state wage requirements
With very few exceptions, domestic workers are classified as “non-exempt” (protected) workers. There may be exceptions for “casual babysitters”; see 7 CCR 1103-1(2.2.7) & 29 USC 213(a)(15).

Non-exempt workers are entitled to pay for every hour worked at a rate that may not be less than the federal, state and, if applicable, local minimum wage rate. Additionally, overtime (time-and-a-half) is paid for each hour over 40 in a 7-day workweek. Under Colorado state wage law, non-exempt domestic workers must be paid overtime (time-and-a-half) for hours worked in excess of 12 hours in one workday, or 12 consecutive hours regardless of the day.

While we may provide you with resources regarding taxes, payroll or employer obligations and employee relations, we cannot definitively advise you in regard to these. We recommend that you consult with your own legal counsel or tax service regarding questions or contracts, including this one. We recommend that you reach out to the Colorado Department of Labor at (303) 318-8000 regarding possible obligations as an employer.

12. Client agreements
 
  • If another child participates in your booking and their parent is not registered with us, you assume responsibility for that child. This includes playdates, carpools, etc. We recommend that a family sharing a booking with you register with us first.
  • The Agency assumes no liability for personal injury, property damage, missed appointments, or sunk costs, including but not limited to: tickets, reservation charges, airline or travel purchases, cancellation or missed appointment fees, lost opportunities, or loss of good will.
  • You have reviewed this Service Agreement, which may be updated from time to time. Website terms are incorporated into this Agreement. In the event of any discrepancy between this Agreement and the website, the terms on the website Policies page shall govern.
  • You understand that you should consult your own legal or tax counsel regarding this Agreement, questions about the tax treatment of a provider, payment of unemployment insurance, overtime pay, sick pay, and other matters. We may give you general information with respect to these, but ultimately it is up to you to make a final determination.
  • You agree not to adapt or copy this Agreement or other agency documents or materials for any other use.
  •  
13. Legal Statements
  • If there is more than one Client, then all Clients are jointly and severally liable for all obligations under this Agreement.
  • You as the Client shall indemnify and hold harmless the Agency, and our employees, team members, managers and agents, from and against any third party claims for any loss, cost, or damage for bodily injury (including death) of any person or damage to real or tangible personal property arising directly from the negligent or intentional actions of the other or its agents in connection with the performance of the services under this Agreement; and from any claims related to unemployment obligations, unpaid employer payroll taxes, or other claims which may arise from the relationship between Client and Provider.
  • You as the client shall indemnify and hold harmless the Agency, and our employees, providers, managers and agents, for any loss, cost, or damage for bodily injury (including death) of any person or damage to real or tangible personal property at the location of your booking, and from any claims, DAMAGES, COSTS AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING REASONABLE ATTORNEYS FEES) related to unemployment obligations, unpaid employer payroll taxes, LEGAL ACTIONS or other claims OR MATTERS which may arise from the relationship between Client and Provider.
  • The Agency and our employees, providers, managers and agents, shall not be financially responsible or obligated to reimburse/make whole the client for any lost purchases/sunk costs of any kind as a result of a provider cancellation, including, but not limited to, event tickets, concerts or sporting events, hotel bookings, reservation fees, airline purchases, penalties for missed medical appointments, costs of missed coursework, classes or exams, missed opportunity costs, etc.
  • 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.”
  • Client acknowledges that childhood injuries sometimes occur despite attentive care and appropriate supervision.
  • We record and/or monitor incoming calls to and outgoing calls from our business line. By proceeding with a call you consent to this recording and/or monitoring.
  • LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. NEITHER PARTY SHALL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING BODILY INJURY, DEATH, LOSS OF REVENUE, OR PROFITS OR OTHER BENEFITS, AND CLAIMS BY ANY THIRD PARTY, EVEN IF THE PARTIES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THE FOREGOING LIMITATION APPLIES TO ALL CAUSES OF ACTION IN THE AGGREGATE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION TO BREACH OF CONTRACT, BREACH OF WARRANTY, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, AND OTHER TORTS. In no event shall the Agency’s liability to Client exceed the total Referral Fees paid to the Agency by the Client in any twelve (12) month period.
  • This Agreement, and the Terms of Service, make up the entire agreement between us, and supersedes all prior negotiations, agreements, representations, and understandings of any kind, whether written or oral. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto, their successors, personal representatives, and heirs. This Agreement may be amended only by written agreement duly executed by both Parties.
  • Any notices which are to be provided pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and may either be delivered in person or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid sent to the last known address of the applicable party. Notice shall be deemed received within three (3) business days after notice is deposited in the United States mail, or two (2) business days after deposited with an overnight courier.
  • If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held unenforceable for any reason, then such provision shall be modified to reflect the parties’ intention. All remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for the duration of this Agreement.
  • This Agreement shall not be assigned by the Client.
  • A failure or delay in exercising any right, power or privilege in respect of this Agreement will not be presumed to operate as a waiver, and a single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege will not be presumed to preclude any subsequent or further exercise, of that right, power or privilege or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.
  • This Agreement and all rights, causes of action and disputes arising hereunder or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado without reference to any principles of conflicts of laws, which might cause the application of the laws of another state. If any dispute arises under the terms of this Agreement the Parties agree to select a mutually agreeable neutral third party in Boulder, Colorado to help them mediate it. If any arbitration, suit, action or other proceeding of any nature (including any contested matter or adversary proceeding under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code) is instituted in connection with any controversy arising out of, or related to, this Agreement or to interpret or enforce any rights hereunder, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable fees and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, as determined by the judge at trial or on appeal or review, in addition to all other amounts provided by law.
  • This Agreement may be signed by the parties in one or more counterparts, each of which when delivered to the other parties (including via facsimile or e-mail portable document format (*.pdf)) will be deemed to be an original copy of this Agreement and all of which, when taken together, will be deemed to constitute one and the same Agreement.
  • nts or materials for any other use.
  • If another child participates in your booking and their parent is not registered with us, you assume responsibility for that child. This includes playdates, carpools, etc. We strongly recommend that a family sharing a booking with you register with our service prior to the booking.
14. Term of this Agreement
  • This Agreement starts when you register with us, and will continue in effect until terminated by either party for any reason upon thirty (30) days’ written notice (e-mail is sufficient), subject to any remaining payment obligations being fulfilled.
  • If one Party is in breach of this Agreement, the non-breaching Party shall give written notice (e-mail is sufficient) of the breach, and the breaching Party will have seven (7) days to cure the breach. If the breach is not cured or occurs again, the non-breaching Party may terminate the Agreement immediately, subject to any remaining payment obligations being fulfilled.
  • Babysitters of Boulder LLC reserves the right to update our services or discontinue services to you, or any features or portions thereof, respective of the term of this agreement.
  • The decision to terminate your client status is at our sole discretion.
  • If we learn that you have engaged a provider without involving the agency per the terms of this Agreement, we may invoice you the booking fee or the  commission payment for nanny placement, whichever is applicable. We may terminate your client relationship with us immediately and retain any deposits as liquidated damages.
  • Even if the Agreement is terminated, the terms of this section, Section 2 (Responsible Use) Section 3 and 4 (Payment & Cancellation Charge), Section 13 (The Legal Stuff), and 13B (Client Promises) shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, have executed this Agreement as of the date of online registration. I, the client, have acknowledged and agreed to these terms during registration through the “I Agree” checkbox. I affirm that completing this checkbox represents the full force and effect of my legal signature.

Cancellation Quick Guide

How to cancel your booking & make payment

Your booking is confirmed when a sitter has accepted it and the email confirmation has been sent to you. Please cancel in your online account  or contact us at (303) 749-1168.

If canceling with less than 24 hours notice, it is fine to contact your sitter as well!

The agency will collect payment through your card on file, and remit payment directly to the sitter.

Payment for cancellation is based on when you cancel:

    • If canceling with more than 48 hours notice – $35 courtesy payment
    • If canceling within 48 hours notice to day before – $100 courtesy payment
    • If canceling the day of the booking (same day cancellation), the sitter receives full payment for the booking as scheduled
    • a credit card processing charge of 2.9% + 30 cents applies to billing for same day cancellation
Agency reservation credit

Credit is not refundable, however, if you must cancel your booking, you receive a credit for your agency reservation payment which can be used towards a future booking:

  • For non-members, credit expires 30 days after being issued. 
  • For members, canceled bookings may be rescheduled within your 30 -day billing cycle at no additional charge.
Sick child or illness at home

Please notify the agency if your child or anyone in your home has illness symptoms. If the agency phone line is closed, please text or leave us a voicemail and contact your sitter. 

Because our sitters work in many homes during the week, we do not provide care for sick children. This prevents the spread of illness to your family or others. You may typically book with us if your child has a runny nose with clear discharge, or lingering congestion after an illness that’s no longer contagious.

 

Event childcare
  • Payment in full is collected when your booking is confirmed
  • If canceling with 90 days notice – 75% refund
  • If canceling with 31 to 90 days notice – 50% refund
  • If canceling with 30 days notice or less – full payment retained
  • Changes that reduce the number of sitters you need follow the cancellation policy outlined above
Overnight care or travel care

Once your booking is confirmed:

  • if canceling with more than 72 hours notice: 50% of the booking’s value is due to the sitter
  • if canceling with less than 72 hours notice, 100% of the booking’s value is due to the sitter
  • 3 hour minimum for all cancellation payments
  • Payment by credit card assesses a fee of 2.9% + 30 cents
Weather

Your sitter may still receive the cancellation payment if you are cancelling due to weather. For severe weather warnings, we may make a good faith effort to contact you and your sitter about cancellation in advance.

We reserve the right to cancel bookings if we believe it is in the best interest of safety. In this circumstance, no cancellation payment would be due.

FAQs

Can I change or modify my reservation?

Yes! Changes can be made with 48 hours notice or more. If shortening your booking with less than 48 hours notice, payment is due for the booking as originally scheduled.

Can I book with the same sitter each time?

Booking with the same sitter is based on the sitter’s availability. You can request sitters by name, and your preferred sitters always receive the first opportunity to claim to your booking! If you like, we can help you plan bookings to match with your preferred sitter’s availability. For best results with reserving your favorite sitters, we recommend booking 2 weeks in advance.

How does payment for overnight care work?

Sitters receive the standardized hourly rate for all waking hours, and $155 for up to 8 sleeping hours, which corresponds with Denver’s 2026 minimum wage. Because we serve multiple cities, we use the highest local minimum wage to simplify pricing.

Do I interview or meet sitters before I book?

Rather than interviewing sitters, we assign a qualified sitter to your booking request based on availability and your family’s needs. For extended bookings of several weeks or more, we arrange a brief introductory visit first.

Once your sitter confirms, you’ll receive their contact information and profile. You’re welcome to call and speak with them before your booking. We suggest keeping it to 10 minutes or so.

Please note: Once a sitter is assigned and confirms your booking, our standard cancellation policies apply.

How far in advance do I need to request care?
For best results, we recommend 72 hours notice. We have an excellent ~90% fulfillment rate on short notice requests, although this is not guaranteed. To book with your favorite sitters, we recommend booking 2 weeks in advance. You are welcome to request care as soon as you know the date and time you need.
Does the cancellation payment apply for illness?

Yes, the sitter receives payment. Although canceling is courteous of the sitter’s health, the sitter needs to receive pay. Our sitters work with many families and it’s not uncommon for children to have contagious illnesses, especially during the winter months. If illness cancellations were unpaid it would significantly impact the sitter’s income and could force them to leave this field of work. 

Our cancellation payment policy is in place for mutual respect of the parent’s time and the sitter’s time.  

What if my child just has mild illness symptoms?

An important reason that we do not provide sick child care is that infants and young children with mild early symptoms can sometimes experience a rapid rise in temperature, which may lead to febrile seizure in some cases. This occurs most commonly within the first 24 hours of illness. While often not life-threatening, it is a serious medical event.