Pre-Employment Guide For Families & Nannies

This guide is to be used by both nannies and families so that each knows the issues that need to be worked out before employment actually begins. Perhaps surprisingly child-related issues are a very small percentage of the problems that come up between nannies and families. Most of the issues that arise and result in either the nanny leaving, or the family letting her go, have to do with problems between the adults. Many of these problems could be avoided if they had been discussed in advance. We recommend that both the family and the nanny put in writing what they have agreed to. This guide is comprised of three sections: General issues; Live-out job issues; Live-in job issues.

General Issues
This guide is not meant to cover interviewing questions and how a nanny and family can make a good choice. It covers only specific, concrete employment issues that should be discussed prior to hiring.

• Salary. What is the weekly rate of pay? Is it gross or net? What taxes will the family be paying for the nanny? The major taxes are income, Social Security and Medicare. When does the family pay? Weekly is typical. Household help are employees, not independent contractors. Please consult your accountant or a nanny tax preparer for more information.
• What are the nanny's responsibilities? It's important to make clear what her responsibilities are before she begins the job. If the children are not in school the nanny will not be able to take care of the children and do a thorough job cleaning the home. Every family wants the best childcare and it's not possible to have an immaculate home and have your nanny fully engaged with your children. Compromises will need to be made.
• Most nanny/housekeepers only do light cooking. Be clear about your expectations in this area.
• What does the family expect the nanny to do with the children? For example, will she be taking the child to the park, play dates, etc. How much TV can be watched daily? What programs?
• How detailed a "debriefing" is expected at the end of the day?
• Vacations and holidays. Most families give the nanny one to two weeks paid vacation at the end of the first year. All major legal holidays are paid days off. We suggest Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (Thursday & Friday), Christmas and New Years Day.
• When the family travels. When the family travels without the nanny, she should be paid for this time since it wasn't her choice and she needs to count on a set income. This issue is another major cause of nannies quitting. With mutual agreement it's OK for the nanny to take her annual vacation at the same time as the family's.
• Travelling with nanny. Families tend to think of travel as a perk for the nanny, and nannies think of travel as particularly difficult and stressful. As most parents know, children do best with the familiar, and travelling can very much upset a child's schedule. Nannies also often feel very isolated and lonely when travelling because they're away from their friends and family. It's important to remember to define in advance what hours and days the nanny will be working when travelling. If she is going to be working more hours, her compensation should be agreed to before the trip. When interviewing the family should be as clear as possible about their travel schedule so that the nanny can decide if it fits her needs.
• Use of the nanny's car. How often will the nanny need to use her car? How far will she be driving? If the driving is for more than a mile or two, the family should pay mileage at the prevailing rate of .33 per mile. Again, it's important to be clear from the start about this issue.
• Raises. Families generally give at least a 5% raise after each year of service. Holiday bonuses are given by a high percentage of families.
• All of these issues apply to part-time as well as full-time nannies.

Live-Out Positions

• What will her starting and ending time be? When does an hourly rate for overtime begin? Most nannies are paid $10-$15 per hour for time worked after the regular schedule.
• How flexible is the nanny's schedule? Is she available for babysitting or overnight stays? How much will she be compensated for this work?
• Adhere to the schedule agreed to. Arriving 15 minutes late each day, without compensation will make your nanny feel her time isn't respected.

Live-In Positions

• Live-in jobs have a starting and ending time. Normally it is up to a 12-hour day. The hours are consecutive, and any "downtime" during the day for napping children, etc. counts towards the 12 consecutive hours.
• Live-in nannies don't expect schedules to be real rigid, so if you arrive home a few minutes late most live-ins will accept that. However, it is very important to be respectful of the nanny's time and realize she needs to be able to have a life.
• Live-in nannies normally have several free evenings per week. How many nights of babysitting will she be expected to work?
• Live-ins are not normally expected to get up at night or to sleep with the children.
• A private bedroom and preferably a private bath are given.
• The nanny's food is provided. Try to be sensitive to her diet (e.g. if you are vegetarians and she is a meat eater, her diet needs to be considered).
• Is the family providing the phone? This is commonly done. However, only local calls are paid for.
• Car. Is the family providing one? The majority of live-in jobs offer a car. Is it for full-time usage or just for work? If full-time how far can the nanny take the car when she's not working?