Learn More

You have questions and we have answers.  If you don't see your question listed then feel free to call us or email us.  Our contact info can be found via a link at the bottom of this page.  Go ahead take a look at some of the more common questions - you might even learn a few interesting things you weren't looking for.

For General

A. What is your COVID-19 Response/Protocol?
Our healthy sitters are considered essential to care for children in the client's home as long as all family members are also healthy (see section 12S of the 3/22/20 Stay At Home Directive).  Please note:
-We require all sitters to take their temperature before leaving for work and encourage family members to do the same.  Should a sitter find she has a fever, she must cancel. 
-If the sitter lives in a household where any other family member is experiencing Covid-like symptoms or has been exposed to anyone who has tested positive, the sitter must cancel all scheduled jobs for at least 10-14 days while they self-quarantine and can get tested, if deemed appropriate by their doctor. This is to protect all of the clients and children in our care from any potential exposure.
-Should you, your children, or anyone in your household show any symptoms of possible exposure OR know that you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, you too must cancel your job prior to the sitter's arrival so as to protect her against exposure.  Let us know with as much notice as possible so we can cancel your sit.  Please contact your sitter directly if our office is closed.
-Our No Sick Child and Cancellation Policies remain the same and can be viewed here:https://www.sittersunlimitedllc.com/our-policies​   We must now extend the No Sick Child Policy to include any household member as well.
-We ask all family members and sitters to practice proper hygiene and hand washing as outlined by the CDC, and encourage responsible social distancing at all times.
-All clients hiring sitters must provide hand sanitizer for our sitters to use while working, along with a hand washing station with hot water.
-Some clients prefer sitters wear masks the entire time they are working, others only when they are working in close contact directly with their children, and some not at all, depending on several factors.  It is up to each family's discretion.  Please let your sitter know prior to her arrival what your expectations are regarding mask-wearing during the time she will be spending with your children, and whether you require it at all times or if she is permitted to take breaks (e.g. when kids are napping, when playing outdoors, pool time, as long as social distancing is being adhered to, etc.).
-It is nearly impossible for our sitters to social distance from the kids they watch, unless the children are older, playing outside, etc.  Therefore, please ensure your young children are familiar with mask-wearing so that our sitters don't unintentionally scare them by arriving in a mask.

As with any challenging situation, we ask all clients and sitters to have as much patience as possible. We realize that changes may happen quickly and ask that everyone be understanding and patient as we navigate this together.  Please remember to be kind, and that most cancellations are outside of anyone's control. We will continue to support one another, our community, and will emerge stronger together.
 
Do you have an App?
Not currently, but we are looking into options.  In the meantime, our website and software is compatible with all smart phones and operating systems.  To use our website like an app, see the following information:

For Android Users:  Simply type sittersunlimitedllc.com into your phone's URL.  Login to your account.  Bookmark your login page (Family Account Page).  In your phone's menu, click "Add Bookmark to Home Screen."  A SU icon should appear on your phone's home screen and with one touch, should take you directly to your account page where you are already logged in.  From here, you can see your existing scheduled jobs, view your scheduled sitters, rate past sitters, submit new requests, update your account, contact us, and more!  This should make your scheduling process and ability to view updates to your request that much simpler and convenient!

For I-Phone Users:  Follow this link to get easy instructions: https://www.cultofmac.com/558499/how-to-add-bookmarks-to-your-iphone-home-screen/

*Note:  For safety's sake, we highly suggest that you put a lock on your phone's home screen so that your children, co-workers and strangers (should your phone be lost) not be able to access your account and see your address, children's names, cancel jobs, etc.  When you're done using the App, please  close out of it before putting your phone away so that you don't accidentally pocket-cancel jobs, delete your requests and remove your sitter, etc.
HELP!: Since you're closed on Saturday and Sunday, what happens if a family needs to cancel a sitter scheduled to come?
Great question!  If you have a sitter scheduled to come to your home and need to cancel, you can call/text her directly to let her know if you have her contact information.  The sitter should then call Sitters Unlimited and leave us a message to inform us so that we can send the family the $25 cancellation fee invoice on Monday when we return to the office, and send the sitter her check. 
If you do not have the sitter's contact information, then please let her know when she arrives that you had a change of plans & give her the $25 cancellation fee plus a little gas money for driving out to your home.  
***During office hours, if you need to cancel and do not contact either us or the sitter before she arrives at your home OR do not give sufficient notice (within 5 hrs of start time), the full amount is owed to the sitter.  We only offer the $25 cancellation if you give sufficient notice (24-6 hrs in advance), when we are closed if you tried your very best to give advanced notice, and for last-minute emergencies in which no 5 hr notification time was possible.
NOTE: $5 service fee will apply to all invoiced cancellations.
HELP!: How do we proceed with tax claims for sitters/families? Sitters are considered an employee for the family for whom they work.  Previously, Ohio law has been that those families paying more than $600 to any individual for labor or work must claim this on their taxes, and the employee (sitter) must do the same.  However, tax information changes all the time so the recommendation from Sitters Unlimited LLC is that you speak with a credible, licensed tax agent who can make the most appropriate legal recommendations for your particular  situation.
If we have a last-minute need come up when your office is closed and have the contact info for one of your sitters, can we schedule her to come and then just let you know when you reopen for business?
That depends.  ALL sits MUST be scheduled online through our service PRIOR to the sitter's arrival.  Clients can login and submit a last-minute request up until 4 hours prior to the sit start time.

Therefore, if you have a last-minute need and contact a past sitter who says she is available, you can book it yourself as usual online, request her, and have your sitter grab it (as long as you post it 4+ hrs in advance).  If you give less notice than that, you will not be able to book it yourself and will still need to contact our office for help during open business hours.  Therefore, anything less than 4 hrs notice on days that our office is closed means that you will not be able to book or schedule one of our sitters, as they are not permitted to go into any client’s home for any reason if the job is not scheduled online prior to her arrival.

**Please keep in mind that if you attach a specific sitter request to it, that puts a 24-hr hold on it for ONLY that sitter to respond, so we highly recommend that you do NOT request anyone specific if you have not communicated with that sitter first!  Otherwise, you risk blocking any other sitter from picking up your job.

As always, we will refund any placement fees for any jobs we are unable to fill but hope that this allows you more flexibility and gives you a method to request short-notice sitters even when we are out of the office.   Thank you for respecting this policy!
What are your business hours? Open M-F, 8a-6p.  Closed Saturdays and Sundays as well as on major holidays.
What areas does your company service?
We provide sitters to Columbus and the surrounding suburbs.  Generally speaking, if you live within 12 miles of OSU's main campus, you should be within our service area.  If you live just beyond that, we may still be able to help you but you may need to offer a financial incentive (e.g. extra $ for gas OR more per hr) for our sitters to drive further to/from your home.  Call or email us if you want to check to see if we can help you before you sign up!
What happens during bad weather conditions? Our parents can cancel due to weather conditions within 3 hours of the sit without any last minute cancellation fees. There will be no refund for the scheduling fees for the sits that have been placed. If parents choose to cancel their sits because they aren't going to be heading out of the house or they don't feel comfortable having the sitters travel in inclement weather, just give Sitters Unlimited LLC a call. We allow the sitters the same courtesy to cancel during this time as well.
What type of business is Sitters Unlimited LLC? We are an Ohio limited liability company registered with the Ohio Secretary of State, and an accredited business registered with the BBB.  We provide sitting services to Central Ohio families in need of help.
What's your contact information? You can call us at 614-799-9116 or email us at sittersunlimitedllc@gmail.com.
Why does it say PairUpSystems when I type in Sitters Unlimited? PairUp Systems is the software company we use.  It holds our data, allows sitters and clients alike to login, book jobs, rate their sits, etc. 
Will you send a sitter if our children are sick? Only if the illness is non-contagious will we send sitters to your home.  If you have a sitter scheduled and your child comes down with a contagious illness (even if it's "just" the flu or seasonal cold), you must cancel, even if no fever is accompanying the contagion.  If your child is sick with something that is not contagious or you have a doctor's note stating he/she is no longer infectious, of course you can keep your sitter! Otherwise, our sitters become exposed themselves and then become vectors for disease transmission to other children they care for.  Washing one's hands isn't enough to prevent one from being exposed when she is in the sick individual's home environment.  Preemies, infants and others are at high risk of infection and we will not knowingly expose any of our client's children to any illnesses if we know a sitter has been infected.  Many of our sitters work with organizations such as hospitals and in homes with high-risk children which require a sterile environment.  Should one of our sitters arrive at a sit and be left with a sick child or be in a home where an illness is present, if their next job is to work with a 6-month old baby who is awaiting open heart surgery, then we have played a role in compromising that baby's health, as even a simple cold can be life-threatening in cases like this.  With incubation periods lasting up to several days for many common bugs, this makes it even more dangerous if certain treatments are given to young babies or children undergoing chemo, without the knowledge that they have been exposed to "X" disease. Please contact us in the office and/or your sitter to cancel if your child becomes sick.  This is just one of the many ways Sitters Unlimited works to protect your family.  We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

*Please Note: This means that if a sitter arrives and finds your child(ren) sick with anything that may be contagious (e.g. fever, chills, rash, cough, cold, vomiting, diarrhea, flu, etc.) and you do not have a written doctor’s note clearing the child of a contagion (e.g. is on allergy medication and has a script from the doctor declaring it as only “allergies”), then your sitter must be paid in full for that day’s work and sent home immediately so as not to risk infection to herself and/or other children in her care later that week.  Therefore, it is best to cancel in advance if your child comes down with something and only be charged the $25 cancellation fee than to have to pay your sitter in full for the entire sit that she cannot do!

For Family

a. Why Should I use Sitters Unlimited LLC? Parents are busy and finding a reliable, experienced and responsible sitter that you can trust in your home with your children isn't an easy task!  We do all the recruiting, interviewing and qualifying of sitters over 18, so that you don't have to.  We also require the strictest level of background checks as well as 5 solid references from all of our sitters, so you know you're only getting the best!  Our main competitors charge much higher placement fees compared to our $10, and the national companies don't know their families and sitters like we do.  Many don't even interview the babysitters they are sending into your home!!  We pride ourselves in being a LOCAL business, focused on supporting the needs of Central Ohio families, women and children. We require the strictest level of checks before we'll even interview new sitter candidates, so you can rest assured that every single sitter we send to you has been thoroughly screened, qualified (including CPR and First Aid certification), has tons of experience, and will give the upmost quality care to your children.  To join a babysitting service for $75 and have access to professional, screened, responsible, reliable and experienced babysitters whenever you have the need is a no-brainer!
b. How do you select your sitters? At Sitters Unlimited LLC we work to qualify only the BEST sitters to provide care for your children or furry family member. We have the highest screening levels of all in-home agencies in the State of Ohio. We recruit heavily among education, child development and nursing majors at surrounding universities and colleges.   Sitters Unlimited is the ONLY in-home childcare agency in Columbus, Ohio that we know of which requires all sitters to be fingerprinted and background checked through the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.  Our philosophy is that if they're afraid to walk into a police station and have something to hide, then they should NEVER be sent to your home!  This is our first requirement for all applicants and although other companies find it easier, faster, and cheaper to just do online checks which have multiple holes in them, our main priority is finding safe, quality, responsible caregivers for your family which requires proper fingerprinting and police-level screening.

Once applicants have gotten their background checks, we meet with them for a face-to-face interview, then check multiple references, three of which must be care-related (e.g. childcare/elderly patient references, etc.).  We also require proof of an active driver's license and car insurance at our interviews.  Finally, we ensure they get CPR  & First Aid certified if they haven't already, to provide yet another level of safety for your children.

Once hired, every sit they go on is a potential check point since we ask our clients for their feedback whenever we send a new sitter to their home.  We are continually getting your input on all of our sitters and only keep those who are rated at the highest level.
c. How does Sitters Unlimited LLC work? Sitters Unlimited LLC is a babysitter placement service that helps parents with occasional, short-term and event-driven needed childcare. Once you have registered with the service you can request a sitter whenever the need arises. You just log onto the website using your email address and the password you created when you registered. Each time you submit a sit request, you pay Sitters Unlimited a small placement fee ($10/standard request, $12/holiday or overnight request, $17/last minute requests).  Once you have submitted a sit request and it is filled, you will receive an email confirmation with the date, time and the name of the sitter who will be coming to your home, along with a brief biography.  Your sitter should then reach out to you prior to the day of the sit to introduce herself & confirm.  You then pay the sitter directly at the end of each sit. This is the same process for household help and pet sitting. 
d. How much does Sitters Unlimited LLC cost? See our pricing page for more information. https://www.sittersunlimitedllc.com/pricing Registration costs $75 which buys you limitless access to our Babysitters Club.  Once you are registered, you can book a sit (or other type of request) whenever you'd like.  Each sit request you submit carries a placement fee which covers the cost of us finding a sitter for your requested date/time ($10/standard placement, $12/holidays and overnights, $17/last-minute request within 48 hours of your appointment start time).  If you do not book any jobs or if we cannot fill your request, you aren't charged a dime. That means you only pay for the services you actually use.

You then also pay the sitter directly at the end of each sit.  For caregiver rates, see our pricing page for details regarding each module (e.g. babysitters, household help, pet sitters). We require a 3 hr minimum sit (except for pet "visits") and also that families pay the sitters for the full time they were booked.

Therefore, a standard babysitting request only costs $10 plus the cost of your hourly rate to the sitter!  It's that easy (and affordable)!!

**Prior to paying your sitter, please confirm that your planned payment is correct.  Communication is key and it's always best to simply double check with her prior to paying. If you won't be there to pay in person, just text her to verify the total before leaving the payment.  Thank you!
HELP! How do I schedule a sitting job?
Once your family is registered, to book a sit, you'll login and click on "Schedule a Babysitter."  Complete the online form (e.g. date, start/end time, comments), request your favorite sitters back (if you'd like) and when done, click "Complete" to pay the associated placement fee.  Once you have paid the sit scheduling fee ($10/standard request, $12/holiday or overnight, $17 last minute requests), your request will appear on our Jobs Available page for our screened sitters to see.
Note:  Each day/time is one sitting request, so if you need a sitter M-F, that would be 5 separate requests.
IF YOU DO NOT PAY THE SIT PLACEMENT FEE, YOUR SIT WILL SIT IN YOUR COMPUTER FOR ONLY YOU TO SEE UNTIL YOU HAVE PROCESSED PAYMENT.  This is similar to shopping online----only once you have paid for the item do you actually "get" it.   If you see that your sit is "pending," it is awaiting payment for posting. 
Once you pay to post your request, your screen will refresh, you should see your newly posted job listed under "My Childcare Jobs."   If this does not happen, something may have gone wrong and you should login to ensure your job is listed under "My Childcare Jobs" and not "pending." 
If you have any questions about the process or just want extra verification that your request was received, please don't hesitate to contact our office as we will be more than happy to help!
HELP!: I'm trying to edit or cancel my sit and it won't let me. Why? You are unable to edit or cancel jobs yourself within 4 hours of the sit start time.  That is because we need to ensure the sitter gets the message and does not show up to your house given the last minute change.  For all changes made within 48 hrs of the sit start time, please contact your sitter directly and call 614-799-9116 when our office is open so we can manage these changes for you.  Thank you!
HELP!: I'm trying to post a sit within 4 hours of the sit-start time and it won't let me. Why is this and what should I do? This is our system's built in way of having you contact us.  Please call or email us with the date, start and end times, and we'll get working on trying to find you a sitter ASAP!  If our office is closed, we will be unable to help this time but look forward to sending you sitters in the future.
HELP!: What happens if we already have a sitter scheduled but need to cancel or edit it?
If the sit is scheduled in advance, you can go online & cancel it yourself, and your sitter will receive the notification.  You can also feel free to edit a sit you've booked as long as a sitter hasn't already been assigned to it.  However, once a sitter is assigned, if you edit the start or end time, the system will not assume the sitter is available during  those new hours and it will bump her off, creating confusion and potentially causing multiple sitter bookings. 
If you need to cancel a sit within 48 hrs of the sit start time OR edit a sit after a sitter has been assigned, please call us at 614-799-9116 and we will happily take care of it for you, free of charge!  Also, please contact your sitter if it's very last-minute (and our office if we are open) so you can ensure your sitter gets the notification.
HELP!: What if a sitter doesn't show up? Call Sitters Unlimited LLC at 614-799-9116 and we'll get working on a solution!  It is incredibly rare for this to happen but emergency situations do sometimes occur.  If we cannot replace your sitter, your sit placement fee will be refunded. Sitters Unlimited LLC cannot be held responsible for any financial penalties you may incur due to a sitter not showing up. 
HELP!: What if I'm not sure how long I'll be gone or what if I come home early? How should I book the sit hours?
Since we require that you pay your sitter for the full time booked, we have created a way for you to still be able to book your request even when you aren't 100% sure of your exact return time. For example, if you're going out Friday night and know you'll be gone from at least 6-10pm but may stay out until midnight, you should book your request from 6-10pm and use the sit comments section to let the sitter know in advance that you "Need up to 2 hrs of flexible end time."  We require that you try your best to nail down your return time and limit it to no more than 2 hrs.
That way, you are only required to pay your sitter from 6-10pm but if you opt to stay out later, you already know you have someone who is aware and flexible, and you can then just pay your sitter for any additional time used.    
NOTE:  There will be a $2/hr additional fee payable to your sitter for any use of "flex end time" going beyond the scheduled end time.
I used to use Sitters Unlimited for childcare but my children are now grown and I haven't used you in years. I am interested in your elder care (or pet services) now though. Do you still have my information on file? All client files were securely transferred to this new system, so all you have to do is use the email address and password you used before to login and start editing your profile.  You can sign up for whatever service you'd like and do not have to re-register. 
I'm not interested in childcare but I am interested in household help (or pet sitting). How do I go about registering? You can register for whatever service you'd like!  If you're interested in household help or pet sitting, you can click on “Register New Client” and just check the box next to the service you are interested in when you sign up!  You'll pay the one-time $75 registration fee and once registered, can book a job request any time you’d like.  If you're a current babysitting client and would like to add a new service (FREE), just go to your family's account page and check the box next to the service(s) you are interested in, fill out any corresponding pop up boxes that may appear (for nannies, pet sitting), and click "save" when done.
Is CPR certification a necessary requirement for sitters?
Yes.  All active sitters have been CPR & First Aid certified.  While some sitters opt to continue to get re-certified year after year, re-certification is optional and only some of our sitters elect to do it annually.
Is it possible for me to get the same sitter each time? We love helping families find reliable, quality caregivers that they can form a relationship with and request for future sit dates.  We will happily check with your requested sitter(s) before opening up your request to others you may not have met yet.  Our software allows you to see the names and photos of past sitters you've had so just select the sitter(s) you'd like to request when you book your next sit, and the system will automatically send them an email.  They'll have 24 hours to respond before the sit opens up to other candidates.  If you find you are requesting weekly regular sits (same day & time each week), a regular sitter may naturally fall into place and you can request that sitter weekly if you'd like.
Is there a minimum requirement for the length a sit has to be? Yes.  It is next to impossible to get a sitter to drive all the way across town to sit for one hour.  Therefore, we require a 3 hour minimum sit for all clients, with the exception of non-profit groups and churches who have a 2 hour minimum sit requirement.  Even if you don't need a sitter for the full 3 hours, the sitter must be paid for 3.  We recommend you use this to your advantage and run errands, grocery shop, work out or take some other opportunity, when possible, if you know you'll be coming home before the minimum time is expired.
What happens to my fee if I cancel a sit?
As soon as you pay the placement fee to submit your sit request, we begin working on filling it right away.  The $10 standard, $12 holiday/overnight and $17 last minute placement fees are essentially the client giving us permission to go ahead and begin working on filling their requests.  Should you opt to cancel a request after it has been filled, there will be no refund of the placement fee since the service was already performed.  However, if you cancel a sit request that we have not yet found placement for, we will refund your placement fee in full.  
Sitters who are canceled on within 24 hrs of the sit start time receive a $25 cancellation fee that we will bill you for (along with a $5 service fee), should you have to cancel with such short notice.  Should you cancel within 5 hrs of the sit start time, the full amount for the sit is due to the sitter (+ $5 service fee).  See other FAQ regarding sitter cancellation fees.
What if my sit request isn't filled? We have a fill rate around 98% for all of our sits that are requested outside of 48hrs and we also fill most of our sit requests that are called in within 48hrs.  We'll do our best to get you a sitter, but if we are having trouble, we'll call you on the primary phone number you provided during registration on the day before the sit to let you know how things are looking. If we are unable to fill your request we can offer you a coupon for the placement fee or a refund of your placement fee, whichever you prefer.  As always, those who book first get first priority.  Obviously, the earlier you book, the more likely we are to be able to find you a sitter.
Will you protect my personal information? You are asked to provide a lot of information to Sitters Unlimited LLC during registration. You should feel comfortable knowing that we protect your information online utilizing many techniques and tools including individually unique user IDs and passwords. We ask that you protect your user ID and password by not writing this information down or giving it to others. The information we request from you is only used to help our babysitters and families know a little more about the person coming into their home or the person whose home they will be entering. Please do not create dummy data but input the correct information so we can serve you better.  You can rest assured that absolutely none of your information will ever be shared or sold to anyone...ever!

For Sitter

Can I bring my children to a sit with me? No.
Can I care for children in my home instead of the family's home? No.
Can I work for Sitters Unlimited even if I don't have a car? No.  You MUST have your own reliable transportation.
Do I have to pay to be a part of the service? No. The only thing you have to pay for is the background check, if you don't already have a current one through schooling or other employment. The cost is $25 for sitters living in Ohio for more than 5 years and $40 for those who have lived in Ohio for less than 5 years. This is a requirement for all new sitters and must be done before any interview will be scheduled.  If you have already had a background check done within the last year through your school or current place of employment, we can take a copy as long as it is still current (conducted within the last year).  If it is no longer current or if you don't already have one, then yes, you will need to pay to have one run.  Also, if you have not already been CPR & First Aid certified, we will need you to get this done prior to hire and can give you the information for an inexpensive option at your orientation/interview.
How do I apply to become a sitter? Just go to the homepage of our website at www.sittersunlimitedllc.com, click on "For Childcare Providers" and "Apply Now." Fill out the online application and review it before submitting.  Once we receive it, if we feel like you're a good candidate to become one of our sitters, we'll be in touch with an email letting you know where you can get your BCI (background check) run so that we can set up our interview and orientation.  We look forward to receiving your application!
I have references, but they aren't all childcare related. When applying, what sort of references do you require? On the sitter registration/application page, it requires that you enter 5 references.  Of these, the first 3 MUST be childcare related (or elder care, pet care, etc., depending upon the position you are applying for).  You can use families that you have worked with before and/or business professionals (e.g. principals, teachers, social care workers, church groups, etc.) as references that can attest to your aptitude and ability to provide the services you'd like to fill with our company.  We need references that can speak to your character, responsibility/reliability level; those who have seen you interact with children (or the elderly, pets, etc.) and can attest to how they respond to you, how interactive you are with them, etc.  The other 2 references can be whomever you choose as long as they are not related to you (e.g. former/current bosses/managers, etc.), but the first 3 you list must be care-provider related.