Care.com pledges to “help families make informed hiring decisions." The company, however, undertakes only a "preliminary screening," of referred caregivers, leaving the heavy lifting up to the families themselves, sometimes with tragic consequences, according to Kirsten Grind, Gregory Zuckerman and Shane Shifflett writing in the WSJ.
The Journal found some nine instance in the last six years where caregivers on the site had police records, and later were accused of crimes while caring for customers' children or elderly relatives. The paper's probe also found hundreds of instances of day-care centers being improperly listed as state-licensed.
"Care.com is a marketplace platform," said CEO Sheila Marcelo." The marketplace is designed for “shared responsibility overall," she adds. Look for a greater effort by Care.com, but in the meantime, and nonetheless, family members should remain vigilant and conduct their own background checks. Those who will take advantage of the most vulnerable will always seek others to confer upon them some imprimatur of integrity and responsibility. Wisdom suggests caution in accepting referrals from any third party, especially where there is profit for the listing or referring service.
No comments:
Post a Comment