The Importance of Having a Nanny Contract
By Tom Breedlove, HomePay by Breedlove
The fall hiring season is just around the corner – and we hope that means you’ve got interviews lined up with families if you’re searching for a new nanny job. It’s really exciting when you receive an offer, but before you accept, it’s important that both you and the family are on the same page. There’s no better way to accomplish this than by having a nanny contract in place.
Ideally, the family already has a contract prepared and you’ve gone over it during the job offer conversation. They’re the ones offering the job and they already have an idea of how they’d like childcare performed in their home. Things like your hourly pay rate, weekly schedule, vacation time, sick time, taxes, job duties, and many other items should be detailed and spelled out clearly.
If this is the case, make sure you review everything carefully before signing it so you know exactly what’s expected of you from Day 1. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with asking questions or recommending changes to a nanny contract. For instance, if the family says you’ll work between 35 and 40 hours per week at $12 per hour, but doesn’t have overtime included in the contract, that’s something you’ll want to address. If you work more than 40 hours in a week – which could easily happen if things get busy, they’ll need to pay you overtime (time-and-a-half) for those additional hours. Suggesting an additional line item stating that any hours over 40 will be paid at $18 per hour ($12 X 1.5) is a great way of keeping the family compliant with the law and making sure you’re paid for this additional time.
If the family does not have a nanny contract written up, they may need your help. Explain that having this document in place keeps everyone’s duties and responsibilities organized if there’s ever a question in the upcoming months. If the family is using a nanny placement agency, the agency may have templates or sample agreements to make the contract process a lot easier. At HomePay by Breedlove, we offer our clients a template and guide them through the tricky parts related to compensation and benefits.
At the end of the day, you want to make sure you’re set up for success in your new nanny job. Knowing what’s expected of you and what the family will do to ensure your working environment is a positive one is a major factor in how happy you’ll be in your new role. If you or your new employer has a question related to anything in a nanny contract, feel free to reach out to HomePay. We know most families are very busy (and not HR experts) so we’re happy to help them make sense of all the tax and legal aspects of being a household employer.
