At Sitters.com, we're committed to providing our members with a safe and secure environment. These Safety Tips should be used as a guide while always keeping in mind that the decision to hire or to accept a job ultimately rests with you. Please contact our dedicated Member Care Team if you have any safety or security concerns that are not covered in this guide.

The process of finding a care provider and finding a job online should be taken seriously. Sitters.com encourages all of its members to follow these safety tips:

Conduct an Interview. Both care providers and families should thoroughly interview potential matches. Conduct the interview with questions that are most important to you. Take the time to get your questions answered to your satisfaction so that you can make a decision that you're comfortable with.

Check References. Check references to verify information you've received from the care provider and to confirm past experience.

Run a Background Check. Running a background check is an additional step you can take to better understand the candidates that you are considering. Many care providers on Sitters.com purchase a background check and make it available to families that contact them. Background checks should only be used in conjuction with checking references and conducting a thorough interview, as the results of a background check may not always be 100% accurate or complete.

Communicate with Courtesy and Respect. Members should use courtesy when communicating with other members. Additionally, members should be respectful to other members by responding to all inquiries in a timely manner.

Job Preparation for Care Providers. Once you make the decision to accept a job, we recommended that you follow these tips:

• Ask your employer for a complete list of emergency contacts.
• Ask your employer for a list of any job related items that you will need to know about. A few examples include alarm system instructions, allergies, and administration of medication.
• Ensure that you arrange safe transportation to and from your job, especially if you need your employer to provide you with transportation.
• Give a family member or friend the address and phone number of where you will be working. Also provide the approximate time when you will be back home.

Preparation for Members Seeking Care. Once you make the decision to employ a care provider, we recommended that you follow these tips:

• Provide a complete list of emergency contacts along with any special instructions or circumstances. Your emergency contact sheet should also include your home address, phone number, nearest cross street, and the location and number where you can be reached.
• Provide a list of any items that require special instruction. A few examples include alarm system instructions, administration of medication, and allergies.
• Provide a list of household rules regarding use of the telephone, computer, TV, having friends over, etc.

Online Security
In addition to the steps Sitters.com takes to protect your privacy and security, there are also steps that you can take to keep the Sitters.com community and your own information secure. These steps include:

Password Safety. The first step in protecting your online privacy is creating a safe password. Don't use a word or phrase that could easily guessed. Information such as your name, birth date, or your pet's name should not be used as your password. Sitters.com will never contact you to solicit your password. If someone contacts you asking for your password immediately contact membercare@sitters.com.

Avoid Scams. If you receive a message with an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is! You should use caution if you receive a message offering any type of advance payment by check or money order. This is a common scam on the Internet and should be reported immediately to membercare@sitters.com.

• Never accept payment without first going through the interview process.
• Never accept payment by check for an amount which is greater that what you agreed upon.
• Never wire money back to someone who pays you by check.
• Rather than giving out your personal email address, use Sitters.com's messaging service to communicate with other members.