Once you’ve chosen your nanny, it is advisable to create, present, and agree to a specific work agreement that outlines the terms of employment. The work agreement needs to be written and signed before your nanny actually starts the job. A work agreement is a key to protecting yourself, protecting your nanny, and providing clear expectations of the nanny’s rights and responsibilities. Be sure that your agreement includes:
- Basic information like the date, your name, the nanny’s name, and the child’s or children’s names
- Work hours
- Rate of compensation
- When paychecks will be issued
- Requirement to obtain first aid and CPR training by a certain date (if applicable)
- Childcare responsibilities
- Housekeeping responsibilities
- How issues like tardiness will be handled
- Expectations about logging activities and meeting time between parents and the nanny
- Who to contact in case of emergency, and for day-to-day issues
- Whether the nanny has to use the family car, and their responsibilities and privileges if they do
- Paid time off
- Holidays, and whether they’re paid or unpaid
- Payment for 52 weeks/year of work, even if the family is out of town or not using the nanny’s services
- Employer contribution to taxes
- Provision of health insurance
- Tax withholding from the employee’s paycheck
You’ll also need to fill out paperwork so that your nanny is able to take your children to the doctor, pick them up from school, and otherwise perform duties you normally would handle.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, when you think about it, a nanny really isn’t any different from any other type of worker you might engage, whether it be an interior decorator, a personal trainer, or even a salesperson. A work agreement with a nanny makes good sense and helps guard against misunderstandings. It will help set the parameters of what is expected on each side and protect both the family and the caregiver(s) in case of conflicts that arise. Be sure to consider these elements and discuss them with your family as well as your selected candidate.
