The Answers to 10 Top Nanny Compensation Questions
1. What is an appropriate birthday present for a nanny?
(DS) Money is always the most appreciated gift. Birthdays don't have
to be quite as expensive as Christmas. It all depends on what you can
afford. If you appreciate your nanny, let her know it.
(KW) Birthday gifts
vary greatly according to the tastes of the nanny and the means of the
employer. Some examples are concert tickets, a spa treatment, camera,
gift cards for restaurants/movies/stores, flowers, etc.
2. What is an
appropriate holiday (i.e. Christmas) present for a nanny?
(DS) Money is always the most
appreciated gift. For Christmas a week or 2 weeks salary plus maybe a
small gift to unwrap is appropriate.
(KW) Christmas is an
unusual holiday, as many families give a gift similar to the birthday gifts
above as well as providing a holiday bonus. Again, the relationship between the
nanny and the family and the family's means play roles here. We found in our
payroll practice in 2005 that 69% of the families provided a year end bonus
payment. 1 - 2 weeks salary was the average span. Amounts ranged from $250 -
$5000.
3. Should you pay
nannies for holidays when you (and they) don't have to work?
(DS) Yes, most full time nannies get the
major holidays off and paid.
(KW) Yes.
4. Should you pay nannies when you are sick and can't work?
(DS) Yes, it is not the nanny's fault that you are sick and can't
work. The nanny still has to pay her bills. This should be the rule
of thumb for days off that the nanny does not request. If it is the
family’s choice to go away or to excuse the nanny for a day or two, it is not
fair to expect the nanny to do so without pay.
(KW) Yes.
5. Should you pay
nannies when your kids are sick and you stay home from work with them?
(DS) Yes. Also, nannies are used
to caring for sick children. It is one of the reasons that you hire a
nanny.
(KW) Yes.
(KW) (For questions
three through five) The golden rule is the best to fall back on in these
situations - do unto your nanny as you would have your boss do unto you! In
general, the nanny should be paid for every day that they are regularly
scheduled to work, whether the family decides to use them or not. A full
time nanny will expect to be paid for all holidays when the parents are not at
work (July 4th, Christmas, etc.). What these holidays are vary, particularly
with the parent's occupations (medical and emergency personnel, airline and
hospitality employees might get different holidays).
(KW) (For questions six through eight) Most full time nannies have some
vacation and/or sick time negotiated into the employment agreement. Moms beware
- the first time you dock your nanny for mmissing work because they caught your
kid’s cold could be the last time she works for you. The total paid days is
most commonly 10 per year, and flex days are the way things are going. So, the
nanny has a pool of 10 flex days she can use for sick time, vacation time,
personal time, etc. This will vary among nannies and families - the work
agreement is vital here to determine this in advance of the problem.
6. Should you pay
nannies when they are sick and can't work?
(DS) I think it is probably
advisable to include some sick days in her contract. I have seen numbers
from 3 per year to 10 per year. (See more on sick days below)
(KW)Flex.
7. Should you pay
nannies when their kids are sick and they have to stay at home from work with
them?
(DS) This should
constitute a sick day. Many parents have commented to me that they do not
specify a number of sick days in there contract, they simply "cover"
for nanny if she is sick. I think it is probably advisable to include
some sick days in her contract. I have seen numbers from 3 per year to 10
per year. The decision basically depends on how generous you are and your
ability to make other arrangements if the nanny gets sick. If you have to
pay for expensive "alternate" care when your nanny is ill, you may
want to stop the paid sick days at 3. If, on the other hand, you can make
arrangements when the nanny is sick and you'd rather not have her bringing her
germs around the kids, offer more paid sick days so that she doesn't feel
financially obligated to show up to work with strep throat or worse. Some
parents require their nanny to work six months to a year before offering
paid sick days.
(KW) Flex.
8. Should you pay
if your nanny has to miss work for uncontrollable reasons (i.e. death in their
family, jury duty, weather prohibitions, and transit strikes)?
(DS) Families should
use their own discretion in this matter. Nanny could use a sick day or
vacation day. Or, as in my case, I would just pay my nanny if she had to
miss a day because her brother died for instance or she got snowed in. It
seemed too cruel to dock her pay when these things were beyond her
control. This is where the family needs to look at nanny as more than an
employee if she has been loyal and conscientious, on time and not taking
advantage of time off. My own personal nanny was so dedicated in 3 years
that she was never late and only took a few sick days because of stomach
flu. There was no reason to dock her pay in my opinion.
(KW) Flex.
9. Should you pay if your nanny needs to go on maternity leave?
(DS) Maternity leave
is usually too financial impossible for most families. Some families who
love their nanny and want her back will hire a temporary nanny to take her
place until she is ready to come back. If the family is financially able
to pay maternity leave, then it is up to them. Rule of thumb in all instances…if
you love your nanny, do what it takes to keep her.
(KW) Maternity leave
is not commonly paid by nanny employers. They may cash out flex days, but that
is the extent of it. Nannies also do not always take the 6 - 8 weeks
professionals do, but are often back at work within a few weeks with their
infant (assuming that was the agreed arrangement when she left).
10. How much vacation time should a nanny receive?
(DS) Nannies get
at least one week paid vacation, usually two. Families commonly ask nanny
to plan one of those 2 weeks around the family's vacation to save on alternate
childcare expenses.
Please note that
all of the above variables should be covered in a Work Agreement between the
employer and nanny at the time of hire. Sample agreements that you can
use can be found at http://4nanny.com/work_agreement.htm .
Advisors:
-Deeborah L. Smith (DS) is the President
of Parents With Nannies, Inc. (http://www.4EverythingNanny.com)
-Kathleen Webb (KW)
is the co-founder of HomeWork Solutions (www.4nannytaxes.com)