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care?

We’re here to help — from searching for great in‑home caregivers to managing your employees and account issues. All it takes is one quick call to our team, Mon-Sat, 9AM-6:30PM PST.

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help finding

clients?

Get support — from finding families in need of in‑home care to managing your clients and account. It just takes one quick call to our team, Mon-Sat, 9AM-6:30PM PST.

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Have a great idea to help us improve our services? We welcome your feedback. Send us an email and share your thoughts with the Herewith team.

Frequently Asked Questions

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About In‑home Care

What is in‑home care?

In-home care includes a variety of non-medical support services that can help an older person to live independently in their home. A compelling alternative to care facilities, in-home care empowers seniors and individuals with care needs to remain in a familiar environment, maintaining emotional and social ties to their home and community.

In-home caregivers typically provide assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLS) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). One of the advantages of in-home care is that it can be tailored to each individual’s needs as they change over time and can easily slot in to provide much needed respite for family caregivers. See more about in-home care tasks below.

What kind of tasks can caregivers perform?

Each care recipient has unique needs. We’ll help you find caregivers that meet those needs. Types of support range from things like light housework, meal prep and feeding, bathing, and dressing—to non-medical support for managing health conditions, such as memory care and aid with mobility, toileting, or medication reminders.

How many hours of care does my loved one need?

Herewith can connect you with a caregiver for anywhere between a few hours per week up to full-time care. As you begin your caregiver search, we suggest making a list of care needs and what times of day or night they typically arise. It can be helpful to prioritize caregiver support on days when you and your family have the least availability or flexibility to provide care for your loved one.

What are care needs?

Care needs are parts of daily life that you or your loved one needs support with. These can range from help around the home to assistance with activities such as bathing, mobility assistance, or non-medical support for serious health conditions. You can speak with our Care Experts to find a caregiver who has the right experience for you.

How do I maintain a great relationship with my caregiver?

Clear, open communication helps avoid misunderstandings and sets your caregiver on a path to successful care. Being honest and respectfully sharing what is working or not working contributes to a positive relationship. Share your expectations through chat, tasks, and notes to help keep everyone on the same page and reduce stress. Our top tip for a great relationship? Expressing gratitude to your caregiver for providing the physical and emotional support you or your loved one needs.

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Booking a Trial Shift

What is a trial shift?

Trial shifts are a great way to meet in-person with caregivers to see if they’re a good fit for your needs.

These shifts are one-hour timeframes paid at the caregiver’s hourly rate. You can meet with the caregiver, ask questions, have them do a few small tasks, and introduce them to the care recipient. You can set the location of the interview to be the care recipient’s home, your home, or even a public meeting place, such as a cafe.

Afterwards, you can choose to hire them if they’re a great fit, or keep searching for other options.

How do I book a trial shift?

  1. Go to the “Find Care” section on the homescreen of your Herewith mobile app, or sign in here.
  2. Click or tap on the profile of the caregiver you’re interested in, then click or tap the button, “Book a trial shift.”
  3. Next, follow prompts to choose a date and time for your one-hour trial shift. Include a short message about the type of care you’re looking for to help the caregiver decide if the job is a good fit for their skills, personality, and availability.
  4. The final step is adding your payment information. The cost of the trial shift varies by caregiver. Check the hourly rate on their profile to see if their services fall within your care budget.
  5. After the trial shift request is sent to the caregiver, they will accept or decline. You’ll receive a notification either way.

How much do I pay for a trial shift?

Each trial shift is billed for one hour at the caregiver’s hourly rate, which varies by caregiver. Check the caregiver’s hourly rate on their profile to see if their services fall within your care budget.

Get your money back—If you decide to hire the caregiver after the trial shift, we will credit your account with the payment amount.

*Please note that promotional offers may not be applied to trial shifts.

Where can I see my upcoming trial shifts?

  1. Sign into your Herewith account on your computer or open your mobile app.
  2. Go to the “Booking” section, on the left side on desktop or along the top of your screen on mobile.
  3. Here you’ll be able to check the status of trial shift requests, view booked shifts, see past trial shifts that have been completed/paid for, and canceled shifts.

What is the cancellation policy for trial shifts?

If you can’t make it to your trial shift, please cancel the shift as soon as possible. Note that you have until three hours before the trial shift to cancel without charge.

If you need help scheduling your trial shift, please reach out to our team at 415-506-9776.

What happens after my trial shift?

After the trial shift, we’ll reach out to you via text, email, and mobile app notification to make sure the shift happened successfully. You’ll have the option to:

  • Hire the caregiver if they’re a great fit
  • Let us know if they didn’t show up
  • Or, let us know that you’re no longer interested in that caregiver
  • Please note: You’ll have a four-hour window to let us know if your caregiver did not turn up or to report any issues to customer service, so that we can waive your payment. After four hours, your trial shift payment will automatically be processed.

Do I have to pay if my caregiver cancels or doesn’t show up?

If the caregiver did not show up, you will not be charged. If you encountered any issues during the trial shift, contact customer support as soon as possible, at 415-506-9776.

You’ll have a four-hour window to let us know if your caregiver did not turn up or to report any issues to customer service, so that we can waive your payment. After four hours, your trial shift payment will automatically be processed.

Do I have to do a trial shift?

While in-person trial shifts can be a great way to get to know a caregiver in a real-life setting, it is not required. We also offer complimentary virtual interviews with caregivers. These virtual interviews are hosted by one of our Care Experts, who stays on the video call with you and the caregiver throughout the interview to help guide the conversation and make sure your questions are answered.

Does the caregiver see my contact information?

When you request a caregiver for a trial shift, they will only see the zip code of the location you’ve chosen for the meeting, whether it’s your home, a local cafe, or even a library or a park.

After the caregiver has accepted the request, they will be able to see the address of the trial shift location. At this point, you’ll also be able to directly contact each other if needed, via the app.

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Employing a Caregiver

How do I hire a caregiver?

Herewith is a senior care platform, where you can search for and hire local, background-checked caregivers with the tap of a button. On Herewith, you can hire two ways:

  1. Create a job post customized with your care needs, schedule, budget, and location so caregivers can apply.
  2. Or, reach out to caregivers yourself in the app and browse caregiver profiles based on location.
  3. Tap a caregiver’s profile to request them for a no-commitment, in-person trial shift so you can work with them for an hour and see if they’re a good match.
  4. After, you can hire them with the tap of a button and get the cost of the trial shift credited back to you. If not, you can keep searching for new candidates.
  5. Haven’t signed up? Start your care search here.

What is a job post?

A job post is a way for you to reach caregivers faster. By sharing your specific needs, schedule, and budget in a post, you’ll get caregivers applying who are actively interested in providing care for you.

You’ll be able to view applicants' profiles and invite them to trial shifts the same way you do when browsing caregivers near you.

Note: Job posts are not required, but they are very helpful. They reduce the time it takes to find caregivers in your area and help caregivers determine if your care schedule and needs are a good fit for them.

How do I create a job post?

  1. Open the Herewith app and tap Share my care needs at the top of your screen.
  2. Enter a few details about what you’re looking for, including: location, budget, and any specific care needs. Then you’re done! Takes less than 5 minutes.
  3. Caregivers will be able to see and apply directly to your job post. You can then request to meet them for a trial shift, a virtual interview, or reject their application if you’re not interested.

How do I see applicants for my job post?

  1. You can view and respond to caregiver applications right in the Herewith app.
  2. Go to Find Care, then Applicants.
  3. Review applicant profiles and then decide if you’d like to hire them for an in-person trial shift.
  4. Need to make a change to your job post? Edit it right from the same screen.

How do I interview a caregiver?

Once you find a caregiver’s profile that you’re interested in, you have two interviewing options:

  1. An in-person trial shift: Trial shifts are one-hour timeframes, paid by you at the hourly rate in the caregiver’s profile. They are a great way to meet in-person with clients to see if you'd like to work together. Send a request to caregivers you’re interested in to book a trial shift at a time and location of your choosing. Learn more about trial shifts here.
  2. A virtual interview: A virtual interview is a three-way video call with us, you, and the caregiver, scheduled and led by our Care Experts at no cost to you. Learn more about virtual interviews here.

How should I prepare for my caregiver’s first day?

Set your caregiver up for success by sharing an outline of the daily routine & expectations. Give them a tour of the home where they will be working, making sure to note where they can find anything they’ll need on the job, including first aid supplies, a list of emergency contacts, an updated medication list, and a list of meals or activity suggestions.

If you are hiring care on behalf of a family member, prepare your loved one for the caregiver’s first visit by sharing with them the plan for the day and working through any concerns they might have. You can also plan ahead with our first day of care checklist.

How do I terminate my caregiver?

We know that there are many reasons why you may need to end your caregiver’s employment. If this should be the case, you can start the termination process by tapping “End employment” at the bottom of the “Manage Caregiver” screen. You will be prompted to resolve any disputed shifts so that we can calculate your caregiver’s final paycheck for immediate payment. Your caregiver will also need to end any shifts currently in progress. After that, or if you have already paid your caregiver for all hours worked, the termination will take effect immediately and the caregiver will be removed from your team. If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call at 415-506-9776.

What should I do if my caregiver doesn’t show up?

In the event that you need a replacement caregiver, call our support team right away at 415-506-9776, and we’ll do our best to help you hire the coverage you need.

What happens if my caregiver quits?

If your caregiver quits, we will remove them from your care team and calculate any unpaid hours, so that you can submit their final paycheck. You’ll receive a follow-up call from our team so that we can assist you in getting a replacement caregiver as soon as possible.

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Safety at Herewith

Does Herewith require background checks on caregivers?

Yes. Herewith requires all caregivers who join our platform undergo an initial eligibility background check and requires all caregivers to consent to an annual eligibility background check thereafter. These background checks are designed by Herewith to verify whether caregivers meet Herewith’s eligibility standards for participation on its platform. Herewith currently uses Checkr for such background checks.

However, please note that care recipients should not rely solely on Herewith’s eligibility background checks in vetting potential caregivers. Background checks have inherent limitations and may not be complete or accurate in all cases. In addition, you may have different standards or levels of comfort with respect to a caregiver’s history than Herewith does for participation on its platform. We recommend that care recipients and their families conduct their own pre-employment background checks and check references, among other vetting, to make sure they are comfortable with their hiring decisions.

For more information on Herewith’s platform eligibility background check, please visit Checkr. Or give us a call at 415-506-9776 to learn more about ways you can vet potential caregivers through our interview and pre-hiring process.

What kind of caregiver vetting does Herewith do?

Before you speak with any caregiver candidates in the pre-hiring process, our team speaks with them and asks them a set of preliminary questions to determine qualities such as experience level, skills, and personality. Before a caregiver is selected for a virtual interview with any family, they also undergo a video screening, where we inform them of the job requirements and ask any additional relevant questions.

What should I do if I have concerns about my caregiver?

  • Safety is our top priority. If you have concerns about your caregiver, please contact us directly at 415‑506‑9776. If there’s an emergency, call 911.

Does a past caregiver still have access to my Care Team?

No, past caregivers are not able to access your Care Team or information on the Herewith platform, aside from their own payroll records.

What if I see something inappropriate on the platform?

We want Herewith to be a safe space for everyone. Please report content on the app that violates our community guidelines at 415‑506‑9776. Read our Community Guidelines

Who sees my personal information?

We take privacy very seriously. That’s why potential clients only see what you elect to include on your profile. Your contact details and address are not visible. During the job searching/pre-hiring process, potential clients can only contact you through the app. Only our support team will be able to call you directly with job opportunities.

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Payment & Payroll Taxes

How much does in-home care cost with Herewith?

Overall, the cost of care is dependent on the hourly rate you agree upon with your individual caregiver. There are many considerations, such as minimum wage in your city or state, your caregiver’s level of certification or expertise, and typical wage ranges for caregivers in your area. Additional factors may affect the total cost, such as your local payroll tax rates. Read more in our article on the cost of in-home care.

Here’s how to estimate the cost of care for your budget, with an example hourly wage of $20:

  • Caregiver’s hourly wages $20.00
  • Herewith Service Fee* $4.00
  • Total estimated cost per hour $24.00

*This amount does not include employment tax payments.

Are there any fees I should be aware of?

Herewith offers complimentary browsing and mobile tools, however, once you have hired a caregiver and start receiving care, an Early Termination Fee of $200 may apply if you:

  1. Have opted to use HomeWork Solutions employment tax management services;
  2. Have employed your caregiver(s) for less than 40 hours total within a 90-day period; and
  3. Are inactive on the platform for more than 14 days. This fee represents an estimation of the costs that Herewith will incur as a result of any such early termination.

We know that sorting out care isn’t always straightforward. If you need a little time between caregivers or have other considerations, please give us a call at 415-506-9776 to discuss your situation.

How and when do I pay my caregiver?

You are your caregiver’s employer, but we help you run weekly payroll with your choice of either HomeWork Solutions (which includes employment tax management) or Stripe (just payroll). When you hire your first caregiver, you’ll follow in-app prompts to set up the payroll service you’d like to use to pay your caregiver, the Herewith Service Fee, and any state & federal employment taxes (this last is only if you choose HomeWork Solutions).

To view your caregiver’s weekly time sheet: Go to the “Manage Caregiver” view. Here, you can review the status of any hours worked that week. Tap on an individual shift to request or accept a correction.

Payroll runs automatically on a weekly basis. Your caregiver’s work week runs from Saturday 12:00 AM PST to Friday 11:59 PM PST. You will be able to view live shifts in progress, review their time sheet throughout the week, and, if needed, dispute hours and ask them to submit a correction. On Saturday evenings, you will receive notice of the upcoming autopay amount, giving you an additional day to dispute any hours. Then, all undisputed or corrected hours will be automatically submitted for payment on Mondays at 9:00 AM PST.

What if there’s a mistake in my caregiver’s hours? You can work with your caregiver to make adjustments before hours are processed for autopay that week by tapping on the shift and tapping “Dispute.” Your caregiver will then submit the corrected hours.

How do I pay my caregiver if I opt out of HomeWork Solutions payroll and employment tax services?

You can choose whether you’d like to use HomeWork Solutions or Stripe to manage payments to your employee. Stripe is a third-party that provides a seamless transaction process, allowing you to make timely payments to your employees. For more on the weekly payroll process, please see the above FAQ.

Please note: If you opt out of using HomeWork Solutions to manage your payroll and tax obligations, you will be responsible for managing payroll and applicable employment and payroll taxes for your caregiver.

What about overtime, holidays, sick time, breaks, and meal periods?

At this time, Herewith’s platform supports functionality for caregivers who are classified as personal attendants, and the employer is not required to provide meal periods or make rest breaks available, but you may choose to provide either or both. Read more information about the personal attendant classification here.

Overtime is accrued at 1.5 x hourly rate for over 9 hours a day and/or 40 in a 7-day workweek.There is no legal requirement for employers to provide employees with paid or unpaid vacation time. But if you do choose to provide vacation time, there are rules that apply to how it is accrued and carried over to the following year.

A household employer is required to provide 24 hours of paid sick leave to their employee. Hours are accrued at a rate of 1 hour of sick leave gained for every 30 hours worked. Please note that some counties and cities require more paid sick leave than the minimum required by the state.

Who should I contact about payroll questions or refunds?

If you have a question about payroll or if you need to request a refund, please contact our Herewith support team at 415-506-9776.

Users are entitled to two free refunds per year; additional refunds will incur a 4% transaction fee. Users have 48 hours after autopay is submitted in which to request a refund. After 48 hours, refunds cannot be requested.

How do I add or change my Stripe payment method?

From the home screen in your mobile app, tap on the menu icon in the upper right corner, then tap “Payment method.” From here, you can securely add a new card and manage your payment preferences.

Will I receive invoices and receipts?

Whether you have chosen to use Stripe or HomeWork Solutions to process your payroll, you will receive an in-app notification and email confirmation of the number of hours that will be processed for your weekly autopay.

The first notification will go out on Saturdays at 6:00 PM PST, and you have until Monday at 12:00 AM PST to request any last minute corrections from your caregiver, before autopay occurs on Monday at 9:00 AM PST.

What do I do if my Stripe payment is denied?

If your Stripe payment method is denied, you will receive an email and an in-app notification immediately. You will have 48 hours to add a new payment method before services are suspended.

To add a new payment method: go to the home screen in your mobile app, tap on the menu icon in the upper right corner, then tap “Payment method.” From here, you can securely add a new card and manage your payment preferences.

Do I have to pay any employment or payroll taxes?

Yes, if the caregiver satisfies certain IRS or state thresholds. There are several types of taxes related to payroll: (1) Employer payroll taxes, which are paid by the employer (and not deducted from the employee); (2) Employee payroll taxes, which are mandated by federal, state and/or local governments, deducted from employee pay, and then transferred to the applicable taxing authority; and (3) Income tax deductions, which are taken from employee pay based on estimates of income and transferred to the applicable taxing authority.

In addition, state payroll taxes may also be required, depending on the state in which the services are performed. Some cities and counties in the US also impose their own payroll taxes. The percentages are typically changed mid-year or at the beginning of the calendar year. Employers should stay up-to-date on the employer payroll taxes that they owe, as well as taxes that are to be deducted from the employee’s pay and forwarded to the applicable taxing authority. We recommend that you seek legal advice regarding your tax obligations. While we cannot guarantee its accuracy, state by state employment tax information may be available here.

If you pay a caregiver more than $2,600 (based on IRS 2023 data) in one calendar year, you are required to withhold and pay Medicare and Social Security taxes on a caregiver's wages. Medicare and Social Security taxes, combined, are equal to 12.4% of the caregiver's wages (based on 2023 IRS data). Generally, you and the caregiver will each pay one-half of the current IRS rate.

In addition to Medicare and Social Security taxes, if you pay a caregiver more than $1,000 of wages in any quarter during the tax year, then the employer must also pay federal unemployment taxes (FUTA) on the caregiver's wages. Currently, FUTA is 6% for the first $7,000 paid by one employer to the caregiver. This amount is paid solely by you and not by the caregiver. Publication 15 (2023), (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov) In addition, you will be responsible for paying state unemployment taxes, if applicable.

Herewith offers you the option to use our partner, HomeWork Solutions, to manage your employment tax responsibilities at no additional cost. Learn more about federal requirements here, and visit your state tax board’s website to learn more about state requirements.

What does HomeWork Solutions do?

HomeWork Solutions partners with us to provide payroll and employment tax management services. When you hire your first caregiver via the Herewith platform, you’ll have the option to choose whether you’d like to take advantage of HomeWork Solutions’ employment tax support (the cost is already included in the Herewith Service Fee). If you’d like to use these services, just follow the prompts within the app.

Have a question about these services? Contact HWS at 1-800-626-4829 or visit their FAQ page.

What if I decline to use HomeWork Solutions?

If you’d like to manage your employment tax obligations on your own, you may decline to use HomeWork Solutions’ services. In that case, you’ll use Stripe for easy, automatic payments to your employee. The same Herewith Service Fee will apply in either case.

Please note: If you opt out of using HomeWork Solutions to manage your payroll and tax obligations, you will be responsible for managing payroll and applicable employment and payroll taxes for your caregiver.

Can I switch to HomeWork Solutions later if I started out with Stripe?

Yes, if you hired your caregiver with Stripe, you can make the switch to HomeWork Solutions if you’d like to take advantage of employment tax management services. To make the change to HWS, contact our customer support team at 415-506-9776.

Please note: An Early Termination Fee of $200 may apply if you: 1. Have opted to use HomeWork Solutions employment tax management services; 2. have employed your caregiver(s) for less than 40 hours total within a 90-day period; and 3. are inactive on the platform for more than 14 days. This fee represents an estimation of the costs that Herewith will incur as a result of any such early termination.

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Professional Insurance

What type of liability insurance is available through Herewith?

If you are hiring an in-home caregiver, you are eligible for workers’ compensation insurance, which is included in the Herewith services fees at no additional cost. Caregivers on the Herewith platform also have access to free liability insurance coverage of up to $1 million.

Does workers' compensation insurance cost anything?

Herewith provides workers’ compensation insurance at no additional cost when you hire on our platform. Learn more about how workers' compensation protects you from financial risk here.

When does my workers’ compensation coverage begin and end?

Coverage starts as soon as your EIN is processed. In the case that the EIN is received after the date employment begins, your coverage will be retroactive to the first day of employment. If you’re in between caregivers, your coverage simply pauses until you hire again and run the next active payroll cycle.

Please note that your plan only covers caregivers hired via the Herewith platform while they are working onsite. Some insurance limitations may apply.

How do I make a claim?

If an injury or incident occurs, first seek medical attention for those affected. Then, immediately provide a claim form to the employee if they have been injured or may have been injured. The form can be found here: Workers’ Compensation Claim Form (DWC 1) & Notice of Potential Eligibility (ca.gov)

Cal-OSHA also requires that the employer provide notification to that agency under certain circumstances. The required form can be found at: EMPLOYER’S REPORT OF OCCUPATIONAL INJURY OR ILLNESS (ca.gov)

To submit a claim during working hours, contact:

  • RT Specialty Claims Department
  • RT Specialty Insurances Services, LLC
  • Toll Free: 800‑366‑5810 — ext 994443

After working hours, contact:

Can I use my Long Term Care Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or Veteran’s benefits to pay for care?

In most cases, to be eligible for benefits, policyholders must demonstrate a need for assistance with at least two Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), like eating, walking, dressing, showering, or toileting, or demonstrate a need for memory care. Check with your insurance provider for details on these variables, as well as any waiting periods, which may necessitate out-of-pocket payment.

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Your Herewith Account

How do I sign up for Herewith?

At Herewith, you have three easy ways to sign up and start your caregiver search:

  1. You can call our team to get started over the phone, at 415-506-9776.
  2. You can create your free account and search online.
  3. You can download the free Herewith app to your mobile phone.

How do I use the mobile app features?

How do I add tasks?

  • Select your care recipient on the home screen. From your care recipient’s profile, you can view ongoing tasks as well as those that have been marked as complete. Tap on the plus icon (+) to create a new task, add a description, mark it as repeating if needed, assign it to one or more team members, and schedule it for a particular time.
  • You can also add Notes to share with your team by tapping on the plus icon (+) in the Notes Section. These entries are very helpful for sharing updates about care with long distance family members or anyone on your Care Team.

How do I add my family or friends to my Care Team?

  • Your Care Team consists of an admin (the person paying for care) and current Care Pros (caregivers that you have hired via the Herewith platform), as well as any other members you choose to invite. Some people choose to invite family members, neighbors, or close friends who share in the caregiving responsibility for the care recipient. If you are managing care for a loved one, you may also choose to add them to the team as the care recipient.
  • Simply tap “Invite a new member” at the bottom of the screen and follow the prompt to add the new member’s contact details. We always recommend discussing with the person first so they are expecting to receive the invitation.

How do I change information about my care recipient?

  • Select your care recipient on the home screen. From your care recipient’s profile, you can view their current Care Information. Simply tap for a detailed view and start editing.

How do I close and delete my account?

You can close and delete your account in the Herewith mobile app. Open the app, tap the menu icon in the upper right corner of your screen, tap “Settings,” and then under “General” you can select “Delete your account.” You may also call us at 510‑916‑1071.

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