by Stefany Smith

Created on: April 05, 2008   Last Updated: June 14, 2008

"Care.com was launched nationally in May 2007. With local search options currently available in more than 40 major cities across the United States, Care.com's online marketplace provides a network of care providers in areas including childcare, tutoring, senior care, pet care, and housekeeping," stated Mark Crowley, PR Manager, in an electronic interview on April 4th, 2008.

Care.com's newest addition to its service listings, housekeeping, allows families to perform background checks on potential employees, check their references, and shop for the best rate. What does this mean to Bostonians? When housekeeping is searched locally, over 140 names are available, with hourly rates ranging from $5 to $50; and experience ranging from 1 to 10 years.

In an effort to provide a way for seekers to get comfortable with the system, and check the availability and quality of providers, Care.com offers a free membership. This allows a seeker to post a job and search providers. To have direct contact among potential providers and seekers, a premium account is necessary.

There are three levels of Premium memberships. These accounts give you complete access to profiles, and you can perform background checks on your prospective employees. The premiums accounts vary in price: 1 month access costs $25, 3 month access is $45, and 1 year access is $120. There is also a $15 registration fee for all premium accounts.

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