The process of hiring nannies can be overwhelming, but one tool
you can utilize as an employer is a nanny contract, which will help to
ensure that all of the terms and conditions of employment are understood
by both you and the nanny candidate before hiring. The biggest mistake
that you can make during the nanny hiring process is being vague or
unclear about expectations. Communicating in a straightforward and
direct manner with your nannies from the start will help to ensure that
there are no unpleasant surprises down the road for either party.
Communication is Key
One
of the most essential components of a successful parent-nanny
relationship is clear and open communication. Families who foster an
environment where communication is not only expected, but praised will
set a precedent for the nanny and the children as well. A thorough nanny
contract that is agreed-upon before the hiring process is complete is
the first real step in a successful nanny-family relationship.
Due
to the untraditional working environment of most nanny jobs, nannies
are often expected to work odd hours and the boundaries of expectations
between the family and the nanny can easily blur. This is true for all
nannies, but especially for live-in nannies. A nanny contract should
establish these boundaries right from the beginning so that both parties
are comfortable in knowing what to expect. One of the primary causes of
disputes and, ultimately, high nanny turnover tends to be parents who
make unexpected, and, for the nanny, unreasonable requests in the form
of extra hours or additional tasks. On the family's side, parents are
often displeased with nannies that use their cars for personal errands,
leave the house without permission, invite overnight guests into the
home, or make unapproved purchases. Oftentimes, nannies tend to be
non-confrontational, while parents can be quick to reprimand a nanny who
is behaving outside of the terms of what the family expected. Many
nannies will avoid conflict and decline to discuss their issues or
dissatisfaction with their jobs, letting tension build to the point
where they will leave the job abruptly rather than attempt to resolve a
dispute.
You and your nanny can avoid these types of issues by
agreeing on a mutual nanny contract before the hiring process is
complete. An effective nanny contract should contain an itemized
statement outlining the nanny's responsibilities and your expectations
pertaining to discipline, growth and progress of your family. It should
provide a thorough explanation of your nanny's salary, benefits and pay
dates, along with any deductions for applicable taxes, Social Security,
and health insurance. One mistake that many families make with nanny
jobs is declining to file appropriate taxes and paying nannies "off the
books." This is a bad move that can jeopardize the family and the nanny
and comes at a high price financially due to fees and fines if you are
audited. Including an outline of who is responsible for the various
types of employment taxes in the nanny contract ensures that each party
knows what taxes it is responsible for covering. In addition, it is
important to check into your state's requirements for disability,
unemployment and worker's compensation insurance for nannies.
Furthermore,
the nanny contract should specify working hours and whether or not you
expect some flexibility in terms of when you will return home each
evening or when you need your nanny to be on-call.
When you specify
hours, you need to include how many hours per week qualify as overtime
and what wages nannies will receive for additional work.
The following list itemizes important issues to address and include in the nanny contract:
- Salary: State the nanny's base salary as well as the family's
expected timeline for salary reviews based on the nanny's accomplishment
of agreed-upon goals.
- Benefits: How many sick, personal and vacation days will the nanny
get? Is there a provision for paid time off in case of personal or
health emergencies? Will the amount of time off increase based on the
time the nanny works for the family?
- Set the expected schedule of hours and include provisions for pay
and necessary requirements for notification if special circumstances
require extra, unexpected hours.
- Rules for use of the family car, including provisions for automobile
insurance--if the nanny will be using her own car, detail the amount of
mileage the family will pay.
- State which children the nanny will be responsible for during what
hours. One child may be in school every weekday, while an infant will be
at home with the nanny all day, every day.
- State the children's out-of-residence activity schedule, including
times that the nanny will be responsible for transporting them to and
from school, activities and the residence.
- Boundaries for family-approved approach to discipline; i.e. time-outs, loss of phone or television privileges, etc.
- An outline of expected chores and housework--stating that "light
housework" is expected is not specific enough! Itemize specific chores
that you would like the nanny to complete and how often.
- Expectations for children's arts and crafts and other supplemental,
educational activities, including tutoring and specialized learning
projects.
- Expectations for meetings to review children's activities/daily
accomplishments. Setting recurring daily, weekly, or monthly meetings
encourages ongoing communication between parents and nannies.
- Rules for obtaining permission to leave the house, or take children
outside of the residence, other than for outlined expected activities.
- An agreement concerning the nanny's mealtimes and what food items
will be provided for the nanny in accordance with his or her dietary
needs.
- An agreement concerning the children's dietary needs and what meals the nanny is expected to prepare.
- Expectations for overnight care: How often it is expected and what additional pay will be provided per hour.
- A detailed vacation schedule for the year that includes dates that
the nanny is expected to leave town with the family, what provisions
will be made for the nanny's comfort while traveling, how many hours of
work will be necessary while out of town, and what additional pay will
be provided.
Your nanny contract should be agreed upon and signed by
you, your spouse, and your nanny. You and your nanny both should have
original copies on file, and you should not hesitate to refer to or even
to amend the contract, with mutual consent, if you are dissatisfied
with the original terms.
Conclusion
A detailed and
mutually satisfying nanny contract is an important step to achieving a
successful, long-term relationship between families and nannies. Keeping
the lines of communication open and upfront will lead to a nurturing
environment that holds no unpleasant surprises for the parents, children
or nanny. A fair contract will ensure that all parties involved with
the care of your children understand and agree upon the terms and
expectations of the nanny jobs, increasing the chances of a good fit
between nanny and family.
Steven Lampert is the president of
eNanny Source,
an online nanny screening service
[http://www.enannysource.com/nanny/background-checks.aspx] that brings
together families and nannies or au pairs. Lampert previously ran a
successful, award-winning nanny agency in a major city for over 10
years, during which time he worked with thousands of families and nanny
candidates. Through this experience, he became familiar with the
important steps in a nanny search, which he continues to apply to his
business today. To learn more, please visit
www.enannysource.com